RU2710501C2 - Top lighting unit for vehicle (embodiments) - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: lighting.

SUBSTANCE: group of inventions relates to vehicle illumination systems. Upper lighting unit for a vehicle comprises a light generating unit configured to be fitted in the ceiling lining recess. Light generating assembly comprises a plurality of light sources and a photoluminescent structure. Photoluminescent structure is configured to luminesce in response to excitation by a plurality of light sources. Sections of photoluminescent structure located above landing zones of occupants occupy high degree of luminescence than sections of photoluminescent structure located above landing zones without occupants.

EFFECT: higher quality of vehicle lighting.

18 cl, 3 dwg

Description

The present invention generally relates to vehicle lighting systems and, in particular, to vehicle lighting systems using photoluminescent structures.

The glow resulting from the use of photoluminescent structures offers a unique and attractive viewing experience. Therefore, it is desirable to implement such structures in automobile vehicles for various lighting applications.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an overhead lighting assembly for a vehicle. The overhead lighting unit includes a ceiling lining having a recess, and a light-generating unit made in the form of a strip configured to be received in the recess. The light generating unit includes a plurality of light sources and a photoluminescent structure configured to luminesce in response to excitation by a plurality of light sources.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an overhead lighting assembly for a vehicle. The overhead lighting unit includes a ceiling lining having a recess extending in the longitudinal direction with respect to the vehicle and a light generating unit made in the form of a strip configured to be received in the recess. The light generating unit includes a plurality of light sources and a photoluminescent structure configured to luminesce in response to excitation by a plurality of light sources.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an overhead lighting assembly for a vehicle. The overhead lighting unit includes a ceiling lining having a recess, and a light-generating unit made in the form of a strip configured to be received in the recess. A light generating unit includes a plurality of light sources dispersed with varying densities and a photoluminescent structure configured to luminesce in response to excitation by a plurality of light sources.

Thus, according to a first aspect of the present invention, an overhead lighting unit for a vehicle is provided, comprising a ceiling lining having a recess, and a light generating unit made in the form of a strip configured to be placed in a recess and comprising: a plurality of light sources and a photoluminescent structure made with the possibility of luminescence in response to excitation by multiple light sources.

Preferably, the overhead assembly further comprises a controller for selectively activating a plurality of light sources.

Preferably, the recess extends in the longitudinal or transverse direction relative to the vehicle.

Preferably, the plurality of light sources comprise LEDs dispersed in a printed LED arrangement.

Preferably, the LEDs are dispersed with a variable density, so that the areas of the photoluminescent structure located above the seating areas of the occupying people exhibit a greater degree of luminescence than the areas of the photoluminescent structure located above the landing zones without the occupying people.

Preferably, the light generating unit comprises visible and hidden portions when a light generating unit is viewed from the rear view mirror assembly.

Preferably, the light generating unit is operable so that only the latent areas are luminescent when the vehicle is in motion.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an overhead lighting assembly for a vehicle, comprising: a ceiling lining having a recess extending in the longitudinal direction relative to the vehicle, and a light generating unit made in the form of a strip configured to be placed in the recess and comprising: a plurality of sources light and a photoluminescent structure configured to luminesce in response to excitation by a plurality of light sources.

Preferably, the overhead assembly further comprises a controller for selectively activating a plurality of light sources.

Preferably, the plurality of light sources comprise LEDs dispersed in a printed LED arrangement.

Preferably, the LEDs are dispersed with a variable density, so that the areas of the photoluminescent structure located above the seating areas of the occupying people exhibit a greater degree of luminescence than the areas of the photoluminescent structure located above the landing zones without the occupying people.

Preferably, the light generating unit comprises visible and hidden portions when a light generating unit is viewed from the rear view mirror assembly.

Preferably, the light generating unit is operable so that only the latent areas are luminescent when the vehicle is in motion.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an overhead lighting unit for a vehicle, comprising: a ceiling lining having a recess, and a light generating unit made in the form of a strip configured to be placed in a recess and comprising: a plurality of light sources dispersed with varying densities, and a photoluminescent design configured to luminesce in response to excitation by a plurality of light sources.

Preferably, the overhead assembly further comprises a controller for selectively activating a plurality of light sources.

Preferably, the recess extends in the longitudinal or transverse direction relative to the vehicle.

Preferably, the plurality of light sources comprise LEDs dispersed in a printed LED arrangement.

Preferably, the plurality of light sources are dispersed such that the areas of the photoluminescent structure located above the seating areas of the occupying people exhibit a greater degree of luminescence than the areas of the photoluminescent structure located above the landing zones without the occupying people.

Preferably, the light generating unit comprises visible and hidden portions when a light generating unit is viewed from the rear view mirror assembly.

Preferably, the light generating unit is operable so that only the latent areas are luminescent when the vehicle is in motion.

These and other aspects, objects and features of the present invention will be understood and taken into account by those skilled in the art to study the following description of the invention, claims, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 - a vehicle equipped with an overhead lighting unit according to one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an overhead lighting assembly taken along line II-II of FIG. 1, according to one embodiment; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a vehicle lighting system using an overhead lighting unit according to one embodiment.

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the invention, which may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The drawings are not necessarily intended for detailed design, and some schemes may be exaggerated or understated to show a general idea of the function. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed in the materials of this application should not be interpreted as limiting, but only as representing the basis for training a person skilled in the art to make different use of the present invention.

As used in the materials of this application, the term "and / or", when used in a list of two or more elements, means that any one of the listed elements can be applied on its own, or any combination of two or more of the listed elements can be applied . For example, if a composition is described as containing components A, B and / or C, the composition may contain exclusively A; exclusively B; exclusively C; A and B in combination; A and C in combination; B and C in combination; or A, B and C in combination.

The following invention relates to an overhead lighting unit for use in a vehicle, and is operable to provide interior lighting for a vehicle. Although the overhead lighting unit is intended for use in automobiles, it should be appreciated that the overhead lighting assembly disclosed herein can likewise be adapted for use in other types of vehicles for transporting one or more passengers, such as, but not limited to, an aircraft, a ship, and locomotives.

In FIG. 1 generally shows the cab of a vehicle 10 according to one embodiment. The vehicle 10 includes one or more light generating units, which are approximately shown as light generating units 12a-12d. The light generating units 12a-12d are attached to the roof structure, such as the roof sheathing 14. Each light generating unit 12a-12d may be configured as a strip of varying length and width and may extend in the longitudinal direction, as shown by the light generating units 12a and 12b, in the transverse direction, as shown by the light generating units 12c and 12d, or other desired direction with respect to the vehicle 10. As will be described in more detail below, the light generating unit 12a-12d has the advantage of being thinly executed and can be made bendable to complement the contours of the skin casing 14. Additionally, the light generating unit 12a-12d acts to luminesce, as illustrated by the lines in FIG. 1, to provide general or working lighting in the vehicle cabin. Thus, it is contemplated that the use of one or more light generating units can reduce or even eliminate the need for traditional ceiling lights.

In FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a light generating unit 12a and a corresponding portion of a ceiling sheath 14 according to one embodiment. It should be understood that the light generating units 12b-12d can be arranged in a similar manner. According to the illustrated embodiment, the ceiling sheathing 14 includes a recess 16 formed by the base 18 and the side walls 20 and 22. The recess 16 is dimensioned to receive the light generating unit 12a so that the light generating unit 12a is substantially flush with the sheathing 14 the ceiling. Alternatively, if it is desired that the light generating unit 12a protrudes from the ceiling sheathing 14, the depth of the recess 16 can be adjusted accordingly, or the recess 16 can be completely eliminated. Alternatively, in addition, if it is desired that the light generating unit 12a be hidden from view when in the disabled state, the light generating unit 12a may be located inside the ceiling sheathing 14. In such an arrangement, however, the ceiling sheathing 14 must include fabric or other material that is sufficiently permeable to the light emitted by the light generating unit 12a.

The light generating unit 12a includes a base 24 arranged under the base 18 of the recess 16. The base 24 may include polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material of a thickness of the order of 0.005 to 0.060 inches. The positive electrode 26 is arranged under the base 24 and includes a conductive epoxy resin, such as, but not limited to, containing silver or copper-containing epoxy. The positive electrode 26 is electrically connected to a plurality of light sources, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) 28, which are arranged in a semiconductor paste 30 and deposited on the reverse side of the positive electrode 26. The negative electrode 32 is also electrically connected to the LED 28. The negative electrode 32 is arranged under the semiconductor paste 30 and includes a transparent or translucent conductive material, such as, but not limited to, indium and tin oxide. In alternative embodiments, the positive and negative electrodes 26, 32 may be inverted, in which case, the positive electrode 26 will include a transparent or translucent conductive material to transmit light emitted from the LED 28.

Each of the positive and negative electrodes 26, 32 is electrically connected to the controller 34 through a corresponding conductive bus 36, 38 and a corresponding conductive lead 40, 42. The conductive bus 36, 38 can be printed along the opposite edges of the positive and negative electrodes 26, 32, and the points the connections between the conductive busbars 36, 38 and the conductive hoses 40, 42 may be in opposite corners of each conductive bus 36, 38 to facilitate uniform distribution of current across the conductive rails 36, 38. The conductive liner 40, 42 may be routed through wires roof frame of the vehicle 10 to the controller 34 which may be arranged differently in a vehicle 10 and also electrically coupled to power source 44. In one embodiment, the power supply 44 may correspond to a vehicle power supply operating from 12 to 16 volts DC.

The controller 34 may control the LED 28 based on one or more signals received from the vehicle equipment, user-driven switches, and the like. In one embodiment, the signals may include a vehicle-related condition, such as, but not limited to, a vehicle operating condition, a condition associated with specific vehicle equipment (e.g., an open door state), a keyfob proximity state for keys, a remote signal received from a portable electronic device, a condition associated with the operating conditions of the vehicle (for example, the level of ambient light), or any other th information signal or control signal, which can be used to commission or adjust the return of the LED 28 otherwise.

The LEDs 28 may be randomly or controllably dispersed in the semiconductor paste 30 and arranged facing the vehicle cabin, and may be configured to emit focused or unfocused light. The LEDs 28 may correspond to micro-LEDs or gallium nitride cells of the order of 5 to 400 microns in size, and the semiconductor paste 30 may include various binders and dielectric material, including, but not limited to, one or more of gallium, indium, silicon carbide, phosphorus and / or translucent polymeric binders. Thus, the semiconductor paste 30 may contain various concentrations of LEDs 28, so that the density of the LEDs 28 can be adjusted for various lighting applications. In some embodiments, LED 28 and semiconductor paste 30 may be supplied from Nth Degree Technologies Worldwide. Semiconductor paste 30 can be applied through various printing processes, including processes with ink nozzles and silk stencils, to selected part (s) of positive electrode 26. More precisely, it is anticipated that LEDs 28 are dispersed in semiconductor paste 30 and endowed with a shape and dimensions so that a substantial amount thereof is aligned with the positive and negative electrodes 26, 32 during coating of the semiconductor paste 30. Part of the LED 28, which are ultimately electrically connected to the positive and negative electrodes 26, 32 can be selectively activated and taken out of operation by the controller 34. An optional scattering layer 46 can be arranged under the negative electrode 32 to scatter the light emitted from the LED 28 to more evenly excite the photoluminescent structure 48 arranged under the scattering layer 46.

Again, as shown in FIG. 2, the photoluminescent structure 48 may be arranged in the form of a coating, layer, film or other suitable application. With reference to the presently illustrated embodiment, the photoluminescent structure 48 can be arranged as a multilayer structure including an energy conversion layer 50, an optional stabilizing layer 52, and an optional protective layer 54. The energy conversion layer 50 includes at least one photoluminescent material 56 having energy conversion elements with phosphorescent or fluorescent particles. For example, the photoluminescent material 56 may include organic or inorganic fluorescent dyes, including rylene, xanthenes, porphyrins, phthalocyanines. Additionally or alternatively, the photoluminescent material 56 may include phosphors from the group of cerium-activated garnets, such as YAG: Ce. An energy conversion layer 50 can be prepared by dispersing the photoluminescent material 56 in a polymer matrix to form a homogeneous mixture using a variety of methods. Such methods may include preparing an energy conversion layer 50 from the composition in a liquid carrier medium and coating the energy conversion layer 50 with a diffusion layer 46 or negative electrode 32. An energy conversion layer 50 may be applied to the diffusion layer 46 or negative electrode 32 by coloring screen printing, flexography, sputtering, crevice coating, dip coating, rolling and plating. Alternatively, the energy conversion layer 50 may be prepared by methods that do not use a liquid carrier medium. For example, the energy conversion layer 50 can be reproduced by dispersing the photoluminescent material 56 in a solution in the solid state (a homogeneous mixture in the dry state), which can be enclosed in a polymer matrix formed by extrusion, injection, extrusion, extrusion, high temperature shaping, and etc.

To protect the photoluminescent material 56 contained in the energy conversion layer 50 from photolytic and thermal degradation, the photoluminescent structure 48 may optionally include a stabilizing layer 52. The stabilizing layer 52 may be made in the form of a layer optically bonded and glued to the conversion layer 50 energy or otherwise combined with it. The photoluminescent structure 48 may also optionally include a protective layer 54 optically bonded and spliced with a stabilizing layer 52 or other layer to protect the photoluminescent structure 48 along with other components of the light generating unit 12a from physical and chemical damage resulting from environmental factors Wednesday. The stabilizing layer 52 and / or the protective layer 54 may be combined with the energy conversion layer 50 by successively coating or printing each layer, successively layering or embossing, or any other suitable means. The photoluminescent structure 48 and other components of the light-generating assembly 12a may be coated with a molded member 58 that is in adjacent contact with the base 18 and the side walls 20, 22 of the recess 16. The molded member 58 may include elastomeric material (e.g., silicone rubber), and at least a portion 60 of the molded member 58 that is open to the vehicle cabin must be transparent.

Additional information regarding photoluminescent structures is disclosed in US patent No. 8232533, the full contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. In addition, additional information regarding printed LED devices is disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0264396 A1, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

In action, the photoluminescent structure 48 is configured to luminesce in response to excitation by the light emitted from the LED 28. More specifically, the light emitted from the LED 28 is converted by the photoluminescent material 56 and re-emitted from it at a different wavelength. The re-emitted light is output to the vehicle cabin through a portion 60 of the molded member 58. The light emitted by the LED 28 is referred to herein as input light and shown in FIG. 2 by solid arrows, while light re-emitted from the photoluminescent material 56 is referred to herein as transformed light in the materials of this application and shown in FIG. 2 dashed arrows. According to one embodiment, a photoluminescent material 56 may be constituted to convert the input light to light with a longer wavelength, which is otherwise known as down-conversion. Alternatively, a photoluminescent material 56 may be constituted to convert the input light to light with a shorter wavelength, which is otherwise known as up-conversion. According to any approach, the light converted by the photoluminescent material 56 can subsequently be removed from the photoluminescent structure 48 or otherwise used in the energy cascade, while the converted light serves as input light to excite another composition of the photoluminescent material located in the energy conversion layer 50 into as a result, the next converted light can then be removed from the photoluminescent structure 48 or used as input light, and t .d. As for the energy conversion processes described in the materials of this application, the wavelength difference between the input light and the converted light is known as the Stokes shift and serves as the principal driving mechanism for the energy conversion process corresponding to the change in the light wavelength.

According to one embodiment, the photoluminescent material 56 is constituted to have a Stokes shift resulting in converted light having an emission spectrum expressed in a desired color, which may vary depending on the application of lighting. For example, the energy conversion process can be accomplished by down-converting, whereby the input light includes light at the lower edge of the visibility spectrum, such as blue, violet or ultraviolet (UV) light. The action thus enables blue, violet and ultraviolet LEDs to be used as LEDs 28, which can offer a relative cost advantage over other LED colors or simply sharing the desired color LEDs and the above energy conversion process.

In alternative embodiments, the energy conversion layer 50 may include more than one separate photoluminescent material, each of which is configured to convert the input light into light with a longer or shorter wavelength. In one embodiment, individual photoluminescent materials may be interspersed in the energy conversion layer 50. Alternatively, individual photoluminescent materials can be isolated from each other, if desired. For example, individual photoluminescent materials may be arranged to alternate in a mosaic or other configuration. In both embodiments, each individual photoluminescent material can be uniquely excited by a corresponding part of the LED 28, which can be arranged in different ways. In some embodiments, implementation, each individual photoluminescent material can be composed to have a Stokes shift, resulting in the associated converted light emitting spectrum expressed in a unique color, so that the resulting luminescence observed through part of the molded element 58, corresponds to the light mixture of the converted light from each individual photoluminescent material. By mixing the converted light extracted from two or more separate photoluminescent materials, a greater variety of colors can be expressed, which would otherwise be unattainable by excitation of a single photoluminescent material. Intended colors include light mixtures containing any combination of red, green, and blue light, all of which can be achieved by selecting the appropriate combinations of photoluminescent materials and LEDs. Additional information about the layout of individual photoluminescent materials and the corresponding LEDs is disclosed in application for the grant of US patent No. 14 / 697,035, the full contents of which are incorporated into the materials of this application by reference.

In action, the controller 34 may control the intensity of the LEDs 28 to ultimately affect the brightness within which the photoluminescent structure 48 luminesces. For example, increasing the intensity of the LEDs 28 will typically result in brighter luminescence by the photoluminescent structure 48. The controller 34 may control the intensity of the LEDs 28 by pulse width modulation or direct current regulation. Additionally or alternatively, the controller 34 may control the light emission duration of the LED 28 to influence the duration during which the photoluminescent structure 48 luminesces. For example, the controller 34 may activate the LED 28 for an extended duration so that the photoluminescent structure 48 showed stable luminescence. Alternatively, the controller 34 may blink the LED 28 at varying time intervals so that the photoluminescent structure 48 exhibits a flickering effect.

In FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle lighting system 66 for use in a vehicle according to one embodiment, and will be described with continuing reference to the light generating unit 12a of FIG. 2. As shown, the light generating unit 12a is connected to the ceiling sheath 14 and extends in the longitudinal direction with respect to the vehicle 10. According to one embodiment, the LED 28 of the light generating unit 12a is dispersed with varying density so that portions of the photoluminescent structure 48, located above the landing zones of the occupying people showed a greater degree of luminescence than the sections of the photoluminescent structure 48 located above the landing zones without the occupying people. As for the illustrated embodiment, a high density of LEDs 28 may be present in portions 68, 70 and 72 relative to the density of LEDs present in portions 74, 76 and 78, while portions 68, 70 and 72 are located above the landing zones 80, 82 and 84 ranking people accordingly. Moreover, each of sections 68-78 may be separately connected to one or more controllers to allow their associated LEDs 28 to be activated individually or in combination. Thus, the light generating unit 12a may be driven to fully or luminesce with a plurality of segments.

As also shown in FIG. 5, portions 68, 70 and 72 are generally hidden from the field of view 86 from the rearview mirror assembly 88 to a greater extent, while some or all of the sections 74, 76 and 78 may become visible in the field of view 86 (e.g., by changes in the position of the rearview mirror assembly 88). According to one embodiment, the light generating unit 12a is operable so that only the latent areas are able to luminesce when the vehicle 10 is in gear to prevent dazzling the driver in dark conditions. For example, the controller 34 can only activate the LEDs 28 responsible for driving the respective sections of the photoluminescent structure 48 located in sections 68, 70, and 72. The activation of the LED 28 may be based on a signal received from a vehicle’s equipment controlled by a user switch or vehicle related condition.

According to one embodiment, the sections 68, 70 and 72 of the light generating unit 12a can be activated alone or in combination depending on the needs of the occupying people in the vehicle. For example, a person occupying a seat in a vehicle sitting in a seating area 84 of occupying people can control the lighting of section 72 using a user-controlled switch located in the vehicle cabin. Similarly, the occupying people in the vehicle, sitting in the landing zones 80 and 82 of the occupying people, can control the illumination of sections 68 and 70, respectively. In addition, it is contemplated that the master switch may be operated to enable or prevent the control of the occupying people by illuminating sections 68, 70 and 72, while the vehicle 10 is in gear.

For the purpose of describing and establishing the boundaries of these doctrines, it is noted that the terms “essentially” and “approximately” are used in the materials of this application to represent the necessarily inherent degree of uncertainty that can be attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement or other representation. The terms "substantially" and "approximately" are also used in the materials of this application to represent the extent to which the quantitative presentation may deviate from the established reference value without leading to a change in the basic function of the subject matter of the invention.

It should be understood that changes and modifications may be made to the aforementioned design without departing from the concepts of the present invention, and it should also be understood that such concepts are intended to be embraced by the following claims, unless the claims expressly state otherwise .

Claims (24)

1. An overhead lighting assembly for a vehicle, comprising a light-generating assembly configured to be placed in a recess of a ceiling lining and comprising: many light sources and a photoluminescent structure made with the possibility of luminescence in response to excitation by a plurality of light sources, while the regions of the photoluminescent structure located above the landing zones of the occupying people show a greater degree of luminescence than the regions of the photoluminescent structure located above the landing zones without the occupying people. 2. The overhead lighting assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a controller for selectively activating a plurality of light sources. 3. The overhead lighting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the recess extends in the longitudinal or transverse direction relative to the vehicle. 4. The overhead lighting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light sources comprise LEDs dispersed in a printed LED arrangement. 5. The overhead lighting assembly according to claim 4, wherein the LEDs are dispersed with a variable density. 6. The overhead lighting unit according to claim 1, wherein the light generating unit comprises visible and hidden portions when the light generating unit is viewed from the rear view mirror assembly. 7. The overhead lighting unit according to claim 6, wherein the light generating unit is operable so that only the latent areas are luminesced when the vehicle is in motion. 8. An overhead lighting assembly for a vehicle, comprising a light-generating assembly made in the form of a strip configured to be placed in a recess of a ceiling sheath extending in a longitudinal direction relative to the vehicle, and comprising: many light sources and a photoluminescent structure configured to luminesce in response to excitation by a plurality of light sources and containing visible and hidden areas when the light generating unit is viewed from the rear view mirror assembly, the light generating unit being operable so that only the hidden areas are luminescent when transported the tool is in motion. 9. The overhead lighting assembly according to claim 8, further comprising a controller for selectively activating multiple light sources. 10. The overhead lighting assembly of claim 8, wherein the plurality of light sources comprise LEDs dispersed in a printed LED arrangement. 11. The overhead lighting assembly according to claim 10, wherein the LEDs are dispersed with a variable density so that the areas of the photoluminescent structure located above the seating areas of the occupying people exhibit a greater degree of luminescence than the areas of the photoluminescent structure located above the landing zones without the occupying people . 12. An overhead lighting unit for a vehicle, comprising a light generating unit configured to be placed in a recess of a vehicle ceiling lining and comprising: many light sources dispersed with variable densities, and a photoluminescent structure configured to be luminescent in response to excitation by a plurality of light sources, wherein portions of the photoluminescent structure exhibit a variable degree of luminescence depending on the dispersion of the plurality of light sources. 13. The overhead lighting assembly according to claim 12, further comprising a controller for selectively activating a plurality of light sources. 14. The overhead lighting assembly according to claim 12, wherein the recess extends in a longitudinal or transverse direction relative to the vehicle. 15. The overhead lighting assembly of claim 12, wherein the plurality of light sources comprise LEDs dispersed in a printed LED arrangement. 16. The overhead lighting assembly according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of light sources are dispersed so that the areas of the photoluminescent structure located above the seating areas of the occupying people show a greater degree of luminescence than the areas of the photoluminescent structure located above the landing zones without the occupying people. 17. The overhead lighting unit according to claim 12, wherein the light generating unit comprises visible and hidden portions when the light generating unit is viewed from the rear view mirror assembly. 18. The overhead lighting unit according to claim 17, wherein the light generating unit is operable so that only the latent areas are luminesced when the vehicle is in motion.

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