JP2021521587A - Dull-looking light emitting device for automobiles - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is a dull-looking light emitting device (2) for an automobile, comprising an optical housing (4), wherein the optical housing (4) is provided by a light source (6A, 6B) and a light source (6A, 6B). It includes at least one light reflector (16) arranged to direct the emitted light through an opening (14) in the light housing, the opening (14) being a light source (6A, 6B) and a light reflector. In the light source (2) closed by the external indicator light (18) to protect (16) from bad weather, the external indicator light (18) has a dull appearance under daylight and is half An automobile, characterized in that a transparent screen (26) is inserted between a light reflector (16) and an external indicator light (18) and the translucent screen (26) is separated from the external indicator light (18). It relates to a light source (2) having a dull appearance.

Description

The present invention relates to the technical field of lighting and / or optical signal devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to lighting and / or signaling devices for automobiles.

Regulatory standards require that each vehicle be equipped with a lighting device to warn road users of the presence and intent of other drivers. Of particular note are the red, moderately intense side marker lights at the rear of the vehicle to convey its position, and the also red but stronger intensity to warn of braking of the vehicle. It is a brake light of.

These lighting devices include a reflective surface for directing the light beam emitted by the light source outward and in the desired direction. Metallic surfaces such as chromium or aluminum are preferred due to their high reflectance. In daylight, these metal surfaces are characterized by bright tones, which can create unwanted contrasts with body colors. This is especially true when the car body is painted in dark tones, which locally and drastically changes the aesthetic appearance of the vehicle in daylight.

An object of the present invention is to solve this problem by proposing a lighting device that has a dark and uniform appearance under daylight when turned off.

In order to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, the present invention proposes a lighting device for an automobile including an optical housing in which a light source and a light reflector are present. The light reflector is arranged so that the light beam emitted by the light source is directed through the opening of the light housing. The opening of the light housing is closed by an external indicator to protect the light source and light reflector from bad weather.

In the present invention, the external indicator has a dark tone color in daylight, and the translucent screen is inserted between the light reflector and the external indicator, and the translucent screen is separated from the external indicator. It is characterized by that.

The external indicator has a dark or dim tone color to darken the interior of the light housing when the lighting device is turned off and exposed to daylight. Preferably, the external indicator light is characterized by a uniform color under daylight. Advantageously, a translucent screen is inserted between the light reflector and the external indicator to homogenize the daylight reflected by various elements present within the light housing. The translucent screen is placed away from the external indicator to reduce the contrast of daylight intensity reflected by the various elements that make up the optical housing. Sufficient space is maintained between the translucent screen and the external indicator light, facilitating better dissipation of moisture between the translucent screen and the external indicator light.

According to another variant of the invention, the external indicator light has a three-color coordinate range of values: red 0.4 to 0.5; green 0.35 to 0.45; blue 0.1 to 0. It has the colors contained in .2. Preferably, the external indicator has a color whose three-color coordinates are approximately red 0.441, green 0.408, and blue 0.153. According to a preferred embodiment, the external indicator light is black. Of course, the color of the external indicator light may vary depending on the color of the body of the car to which the lighting device is to be installed. Therefore, the color of the external indicator light may be blue, red, or another color.

According to another variant of the invention, the distance between the translucent screen and the external indicator light is between 1 mm and 10 mm, preferably between 2 mm and 4 mm. The range of these values is advantageous for obtaining a lighting device that looks very dark under daylight and when turned off, while limiting its magnitude in the direction of propagation of the light emitted by the light source of the device. do.

According to another variant of the invention, the external indicator has a thickness between 2 mm and 3.5 mm, preferably about 2.2 mm.

According to another variant of the invention, the external indicator light absorbs 80% to 95%, preferably about 90% of the intensity of daylight.

According to another variant of the invention, the translucent screen diffuses the daylight inside the light reflector to limit the intensity of the daylight by 30% to 10%, preferably about 15%. According to this variant, the optical housing is preferably opaque to daylight, so that daylight enters the optical housing only through an external indicator.

According to another variant of the invention, the vertically incident light beam is diffused by the translucent screen over a diffusion angle range of 0 ° to 41 °, preferably between 0 ° and 20 °.

According to another variant of the invention, the translucent screen has a pattern that is visible through an external indicator when the light source is on. According to a preferred embodiment, the pattern is silk screen printed and / or fitted into a translucent screen.

According to another variant of the invention, the lighting device includes a frame placed between the light source and the translucent screen, which allows at least a portion of the light rays emitted by the light source to pass through. Includes at least one opening. Preferably, the frame hides at least a portion of the interior of the housing to facilitate greater homogenization of the light reflected by the inside of the frame.

According to a preferred embodiment, the frame closes a portion of the optical housing that includes the light source.

According to another variant, the translucent screen covers at least part of the surface of the frame facing the external indicator, preferably the translucent screen covers the entire surface of the frame facing the external indicator. do. According to another variant, the surface of the frame facing the external indicator has a dark or dim tone color, preferably the color of the external indicator or a color similar to black. Preferably, the surface of the frame facing the external indicator is parallel or substantially parallel to the external indicator to give a uniform tone of the external indicator when the lighting device is turned off and exposed to daylight. Facilitate.

Of course, the various features, variants, and embodiments described above can be associated with each other in various combinations, as long as they are not incompatible or they are not mutually exclusive.

The present invention also relates to an automobile including at least one lighting device according to one of the aforementioned claims.

The following description of the accompanying drawings is given as a non-limiting example and allows a better understanding of what the invention is composed of and how it can be practiced.

A schematic cross-sectional view of the lighting device according to the present invention is shown. The lighting device shown in FIG. 1 illuminated by daylight is shown.

As a reminder, the present invention provides a lighting device that, when turned off, has a dark, uniform color appearance under daylight.

1 and 2 show a non-limiting embodiment of the lighting device 2 according to the present invention intended for use as a position light or side marker light by an automobile.

The lighting device 2 includes an optical housing 4 in which two light sources 6A and 6B are present. The first light source 6A is configured to emit amber light rays to signal the driver's intention to change lanes or turn. The second light source 6B is configured to emit a red ray to signal the position and / or braking of the vehicle. Each light source includes one or more light emitting diodes held on the same front surface of the printed circuit board 8. As is known, the substrate 8 allows a control device (not shown) to control the operation of the light sources 6A and 6B.

To limit the heating of the light source in use, the optical housing 4 also includes a thermal heater 10 extending along the back surface of the substrate. The heat released by the thermal heater 10 is discharged to the outside of the optical housing 4 through the ventilation holes 12.

The light sources are directed so that their rays pass through the same opening 14 of the light housing 4. The opening 14 is arranged at a distance of 25 mm to 80 mm, preferably about 50 mm from the light source 6. A light reflector 16 is associated with each light source to direct the light beam through the opening 14 in a desired direction. Light reflectors are characterized by a surface with a high reflectance coefficient on their inner surface.

The opening 14 is closed by an external indicator light 18 to protect the elements present in the light housing 4 from bad weather. Of course, the external indicator light is partially transparent to the light rays emitted by the light source, so that the lighting device can emit an optical signal visible to other drivers.

As mentioned above, the external indicator light is usually transparent or translucent with respect to daylight. Therefore, the elements present within the light housing can be seen through an external indicator, which locally and significantly alters the appearance of the vehicle body in daylight.

To solve this problem, the present invention uses an external indicator light that is normally used to provide a uniform color of dark or dim tones in order to very significantly limit the amount of daylight that passes through the indicator light. It is proposed to replace it with the characteristic external indicator light 18. The term "daylight" means any form of light coming from the sun, direct or indirect. The external indicator has a color whose three-color coordinates are included in the following range of values: red 0.4 to 0.5; green 0.35 to 0.45; blue 0.1 to 0.2. Preferably, the external indicator has a color whose three-color coordinates are approximately red 0.441, green 0.408, and blue 0.153. The external indicator lamp 18 has a thickness of 2 mm to 3.5 mm, preferably about 2.2 mm. The thickness of the external indicator lamp 18 is defined here along the incident direction of the light beam radiated on the indicator lamp by the light source 6. The external indicator light 18 is characterized by an absorption of 80% to 95%, preferably about 90% of daylight. The external indicator light 18 is made of one of the following materials: polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) or polycarbonate (PC).

To promote uniform tone color of the external indicator light in daylight, the optical housing 4 also includes a frame 20 leaning against the inner wall of the optical housing 4. The frame 20 closes a part of the housing including the light source 6 and the light reflector 16. The frame has a front surface 22 parallel or substantially parallel to the external indicator light 18. The front surface 22 is opaque to daylight to form a dark, uniform color background. The frame also includes a passage 24 extending a light reflector to allow the light source to illuminate the external indicator light 18.

The entire surface of the front surface 22 of the frame 20 is covered by the translucent screen 26. The translucent screen 26 is characterized by a thickness of 0.1 mm to 3 mm, preferably about 0.3 mm. Here, the thickness of the translucent screen is defined along the incident direction of the light rays emitted on the screen by the light sources 6A and 6B. The translucent screen diffuses the daylight so as to limit the intensity of the daylight in each light reflector 16 by 30% to 10%, preferably about 15%. Preferably, the front surface 22 of the translucent screen facing the external indicator 18 promotes reflection of vertically incident light in a reflection angle range of 0 ° to 41 °, preferably 0 ° to 20 °. To this end, the front surface 28 of the translucent screen 26 may include a relief pattern formed by molding techniques. Translucent screens are made of one of the following materials: polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) or polycarbonate (PC).

The frame 20 maintains the translucent screen 26 at a distance of 1 mm to 10 mm, preferably 2 mm to 4 mm, more preferably about 3 mm from the external indicator light 18. Within these values, air circulation between the translucent screen 26 and the external indicator 18 is promoted to avoid condensation, while at the same time promoting homogenization of the tone of the indicator in daylight. .. Potentially, the optical housing 4 may include vents (not shown) to facilitate airflow between the frame 20 and the external indicator light 18.

Of course, the light sources 6A and 6B are selected so that they can emit an optical signal through the external indicator 18 in accordance with the standards in force. As a non-limiting example, the first light source 6A is configured to emit light rays having a light intensity between 5 lm and 200 lm, depending on the desired function. The second light source 6B is configured to emit light rays having a light intensity between 5 lm and 200 lm, depending on the desired function.

In conclusion, the lighting device 2 according to the present invention is characterized by a particular arrangement between the dark colored external indicator light 18, the frame 20, and the translucent screen 26. As shown in FIG. 2, this arrangement advantageously allows most of the light intensity of daylight 30 to be absorbed, so that the light sources 6A and 6B and their light reflectors 16 are lit. It cannot be seen from the outside of the device 2. As such, when the lighting device is turned off, it looks very dark and very uniform in daylight. Therefore, the lighting device according to the present invention makes it possible to avoid, or at least reduce, the color contrast with the body of a dark-colored automobile.

The present invention relates to the technical field of lighting and / or optical signal devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to lighting and / or signaling devices for automobiles.

Regulatory standards require that each vehicle be equipped with a lighting device to warn road users of the presence and intent of other drivers. Of particular note are the red, moderately intense side marker lights at the rear of the vehicle to convey its position, and the also red but stronger intensity to warn of braking of the vehicle. It is a brake light of.

These lighting devices include a reflective surface for directing the light beam emitted by the light source outward and in the desired direction. Metallic surfaces such as chromium or aluminum are preferred due to their high reflectance. In daylight, these metal surfaces are characterized by bright tones, which can create unwanted contrasts with body colors. This is especially true when the car body is painted in dark tones, which locally and drastically changes the aesthetic appearance of the vehicle in daylight.

An object of the present invention is to solve this problem by proposing a lighting device that has a dark and uniform appearance under daylight when turned off.

In order to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, the present invention proposes a lighting device for an automobile including an optical housing in which a light source and a light reflector are present. The light reflector is arranged so that the light beam emitted by the light source is directed through the opening of the light housing. The opening of the light housing is closed by an external indicator to protect the light source and light reflector from bad weather.

In the present invention, the external indicator has a dark tone color in daylight, and the translucent screen is inserted between the light reflector and the external indicator, and the translucent screen is separated from the external indicator. It is characterized by that.

The external indicator has a dark or dim tone color to darken the interior of the light housing when the lighting device is turned off and exposed to daylight. Preferably, the external indicator light is characterized by a uniform color under daylight. Advantageously, a translucent screen is inserted between the light reflector and the external indicator to homogenize the daylight reflected by various elements present within the light housing. The translucent screen is placed away from the external indicator to reduce the contrast of daylight intensity reflected by the various elements that make up the optical housing. Sufficient space is maintained between the translucent screen and the external indicator light, facilitating better dissipation of moisture between the translucent screen and the external indicator light.

According to favorable preferable embodiment, the external indicator is black. Of course, the color of the external indicator light may vary depending on the color of the body of the car to which the lighting device is to be installed. Therefore, the color of the external indicator light may be blue, red, or another color.

According to another variant of the invention, the distance between the translucent screen and the external indicator light is between 1 mm and 10 mm, preferably between 2 mm and 4 mm. The range of these values is advantageous for obtaining a lighting device that looks very dark under daylight and when turned off, while limiting its magnitude in the direction of propagation of the light emitted by the light source of the device. do.

According to another variant of the invention, the external indicator has a thickness between 2 mm and 3.5 mm, preferably about 2.2 mm.

According to another variant of the invention, the external indicator light absorbs 80% to 95%, preferably about 90% of the intensity of daylight.

According to another variant of the invention, the translucent screen diffuses the daylight inside the light reflector to limit the intensity of the daylight by 30% to 10%, preferably about 15%. According to this variant, the optical housing is preferably opaque to daylight, so that daylight enters the optical housing only through an external indicator.

According to another variant of the invention, the vertically incident light beam is diffused by the translucent screen over a diffusion angle range of 0 ° to 41 °, preferably between 0 ° and 20 °.

According to another variant of the invention, the translucent screen has a pattern that is visible through an external indicator when the light source is on. According to a preferred embodiment, the pattern is silk screen printed and / or fitted into a translucent screen.

According to another variant of the invention, the lighting device includes a frame placed between the light source and the translucent screen, which allows at least a portion of the light rays emitted by the light source to pass through. Includes at least one opening. Preferably, the frame hides at least a portion of the interior of the housing to facilitate greater homogenization of the light reflected by the inside of the frame.

According to a preferred embodiment, the frame closes a portion of the optical housing that includes the light source.

According to another variant, the translucent screen covers at least part of the surface of the frame facing the external indicator, preferably the translucent screen covers the entire surface of the frame facing the external indicator. do. According to another variant, the surface of the frame facing the external indicator has a dark or dim tone color, preferably the color of the external indicator or a color similar to black. Preferably, the surface of the frame facing the external indicator is parallel or substantially parallel to the external indicator to give a uniform tone of the external indicator when the lighting device is turned off and exposed to daylight. Facilitate.

Of course, the various features, variants, and embodiments described above can be associated with each other in various combinations, as long as they are not incompatible or they are not mutually exclusive.

The present invention also relates to an automobile including at least one lighting device according to one of the aforementioned claims.

The following description of the accompanying drawings is given as a non-limiting example and allows a better understanding of what the invention is composed of and how it can be practiced.

A schematic cross-sectional view of the lighting device according to the present invention is shown. The lighting device shown in FIG. 1 illuminated by daylight is shown.

As a reminder, the present invention provides a lighting device that, when turned off, has a dark, uniform color appearance under daylight.

1 and 2 show a non-limiting embodiment of the lighting device 2 according to the present invention intended for use as a position light or side marker light by an automobile.

The lighting device 2 includes an optical housing 4 in which two light sources 6A and 6B are present. The first light source 6A is configured to emit amber light rays to signal the driver's intention to change lanes or turn. The second light source 6B is configured to emit a red ray to signal the position and / or braking of the vehicle. Each light source includes one or more light emitting diodes held on the same front surface of the printed circuit board 8. As is known, the substrate 8 allows a control device (not shown) to control the operation of the light sources 6A and 6B.

To limit the heating of the light source in use, the optical housing 4 also includes a thermal heater 10 extending along the back surface of the substrate. The heat released by the thermal heater 10 is discharged to the outside of the optical housing 4 through the ventilation holes 12.

The light sources are directed so that their rays pass through the same opening 14 of the light housing 4. The opening 14 is arranged at a distance of 25 mm to 80 mm, preferably about 50 mm from the light source 6. A light reflector 16 is associated with each light source to direct the light beam through the opening 14 in a desired direction. Light reflectors are characterized by a surface with a high reflectance coefficient on their inner surface.

The opening 14 is closed by an external indicator light 18 to protect the elements present in the light housing 4 from bad weather. Of course, the external indicator light is partially transparent to the light rays emitted by the light source, so that the lighting device can emit an optical signal visible to other drivers.

As mentioned above, the external indicator light is usually transparent or translucent with respect to daylight. Therefore, the elements present within the light housing can be seen through an external indicator, which locally and significantly alters the appearance of the vehicle body in daylight.

To solve this problem, the present invention uses an external indicator light that is normally used to provide a uniform color of dark or dim tones in order to very significantly limit the amount of daylight that passes through the indicator light. It is proposed to replace it with the characteristic external indicator light 18. The term "daylight" means any form of light coming from the sun, direct or indirect. The external indicator has a color whose three-color coordinates are included in the following range of values: red 0.4 to 0.5; green 0.35 to 0.45; blue 0.1 to 0.2. Preferably, the external indicator has a color whose three-color coordinates are approximately red 0.441, green 0.408, and blue 0.153. The external indicator lamp 18 has a thickness of 2 mm to 3.5 mm, preferably about 2.2 mm. The thickness of the external indicator lamp 18 is defined here along the incident direction of the light beam radiated on the indicator lamp by the light source 6. The external indicator light 18 is characterized by an absorption of 80% to 95%, preferably about 90% of daylight. The external indicator light 18 is made of one of the following materials: polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) or polycarbonate (PC).

To promote uniform tone color of the external indicator light in daylight, the optical housing 4 also includes a frame 20 leaning against the inner wall of the optical housing 4. The frame 20 closes a part of the housing including the light source 6 and the light reflector 16. The frame has a front surface 22 parallel or substantially parallel to the external indicator light 18. The front surface 22 is opaque to daylight to form a dark, uniform color background. The frame also includes a passage 24 extending a light reflector to allow the light source to illuminate the external indicator light 18.

The entire surface of the front surface 22 of the frame 20 is covered by the translucent screen 26. The translucent screen 26 is characterized by a thickness of 0.1 mm to 3 mm, preferably about 0.3 mm. Here, the thickness of the translucent screen is defined along the incident direction of the light rays emitted on the screen by the light sources 6A and 6B. The translucent screen diffuses the daylight so as to limit the intensity of the daylight in each light reflector 16 by 30% to 10%, preferably about 15%. Preferably, the front surface 22 of the translucent screen facing the external indicator 18 promotes reflection of vertically incident light in a reflection angle range of 0 ° to 41 °, preferably 0 ° to 20 °. To this end, the front surface 28 of the translucent screen 26 may include a relief pattern formed by molding techniques. Translucent screens are made of one of the following materials: polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) or polycarbonate (PC).

The frame 20 maintains the translucent screen 26 at a distance of 1 mm to 10 mm, preferably 2 mm to 4 mm, more preferably about 3 mm from the external indicator light 18. Within these values, air circulation between the translucent screen 26 and the external indicator 18 is promoted to avoid condensation, while at the same time promoting homogenization of the tone of the indicator in daylight. .. Potentially, the optical housing 4 may include vents (not shown) to facilitate airflow between the frame 20 and the external indicator light 18.

Of course, the light sources 6A and 6B are selected so that they can emit an optical signal through the external indicator 18 in accordance with the standards in force. As a non-limiting example, the first light source 6A is configured to emit light rays having a light intensity between 5 lm and 200 lm, depending on the desired function. The second light source 6B is configured to emit light rays having a light intensity between 5 lm and 200 lm, depending on the desired function.

In conclusion, the lighting device 2 according to the present invention is characterized by a particular arrangement between the dark colored external indicator light 18, the frame 20, and the translucent screen 26. As shown in FIG. 2, this arrangement advantageously allows most of the light intensity of daylight 30 to be absorbed, so that the light sources 6A and 6B and their light reflectors 16 are lit. It cannot be seen from the outside of the device 2. As such, when the lighting device is turned off, it looks very dark and very uniform in daylight. Therefore, the lighting device according to the present invention makes it possible to avoid, or at least reduce, the color contrast with the body of a dark-colored automobile.

Claims (12)

A lighting device (2) for an automobile, provided with an optical housing (4), in which a light source (6A, 6B) and a light beam emitted by the light source (6A, 6B) are emitted. There is a light reflector (16) arranged so as to face through the opening (14) of the light housing, and the opening (14) is the light source (6A, 6B) and the light reflector (16). In a lighting device (2) closed by an external indicator light (18) to protect against bad weather, the external indicator light (18) accounts for 80% to 95%, preferably about 90% of the daylight intensity. Absorption and the external indicator light (18) have a range of values in which the three-color coordinates are as follows: red 0.4 to 0.5, green 0.35 to 0.45, blue 0.1 to 0. Having the color contained in 2, and the translucent screen (26) is inserted between the light reflector (16) and the external indicator lamp (18), and the translucent screen (26) is the external. Daytime so that the translucent screen (26) limits the intensity of daylight by 30% to 10%, preferably about 15% inside the light reflector (16), away from the indicator light (18). A lighting device (2) characterized by diffusing light. The lighting device (2) according to claim 1, wherein the external indicator lamp (18) is black. The lighting device (2) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the distance between the translucent screen (26) and the external indicator lamp (18) is 1 mm to 10 mm, preferably 2 mm to 4 mm. ). The lighting device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the external indicator lamp (18) has a thickness of 2 mm to 3.5 mm, preferably about 2.2 mm. Any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the vertically incident light beam is reflected by the translucent screen (26) in a reflection angle range of 0 ° to 41 °, preferably 0 ° to 20 °. The lighting device (2) according to the item. Any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the translucent screen (26) includes a pattern that is visible through the external indicator (18) when the light sources (6A, 6B) are on. (2). The lighting device (2) according to claim 6, wherein the pattern is silk-screen printed and / or fitted into the translucent screen (26). A frame (20) is included between the light source (6A, 6B) and the translucent screen (26), the frame (20) being at least the light beam emitted by the light source (6A, 6B). The lighting device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising at least one opening that allows a portion to pass through. The lighting device (2) according to claim 8, wherein the frame (20) closes a part of the optical housing (4) including the light sources (6A, 6B). The translucent screen (26) covers at least a part of the surface of the frame (20) facing the external indicator (18), preferably the translucent screen (26) is the external indicator. The lighting device (2) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the entire surface of the frame (20) facing the (18) is covered. The surface of the frame (20) facing the external indicator light (18) has the following values in the three-color coordinates: red 0.4 to 0.5, green 0.35 to 0.45, blue 0. The lighting device (2) according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the lighting device (2) has a color contained in 1 to 0.2, preferably a color similar to the color of the external indicator lamp (18). ). An automobile including at least one lighting device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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