Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F21V23/00—Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices
  • F21V23/02—Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices the elements being transformers, impedances or power supply units, e.g. a transformer with a rectifier
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
  • F21S45/00—Arrangements within vehicle lighting devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, for purposes other than emission or distribution of light
  • F21S45/30—Ventilation or drainage of lighting devices
  • F21S45/33—Ventilation or drainage of lighting devices specially adapted for headlamps
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
  • F21S41/00—Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps
  • F21S41/10—Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps characterised by the light source
  • F21S41/14—Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps characterised by the light source characterised by the type of light source
  • F21S41/141—Light emitting diodes [LED]
  • F21S41/143—Light emitting diodes [LED] the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
  • F21S41/00—Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps
  • F21S41/10—Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps characterised by the light source
  • F21S41/14—Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps characterised by the light source characterised by the type of light source
  • F21S41/141—Light emitting diodes [LED]
  • F21S41/151—Light emitting diodes [LED] arranged in one or more lines
  • F21S41/153—Light emitting diodes [LED] arranged in one or more lines arranged in a matrix
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
  • F21S45/00—Arrangements within vehicle lighting devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, for purposes other than emission or distribution of light
  • F21S45/40—Cooling of lighting devices
  • F21S45/47—Passive cooling, e.g. using fins, thermal conductive elements or openings
  • F21S45/48—Passive cooling, e.g. using fins, thermal conductive elements or openings with means for conducting heat from the inside to the outside of the lighting devices, e.g. with fins on the outer surface of the lighting device
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
  • F21S45/00—Arrangements within vehicle lighting devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, for purposes other than emission or distribution of light
  • F21S45/50—Waterproofing
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F21V29/00—Protecting lighting devices from thermal damage; Cooling or heating arrangements specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
  • F21V29/15—Thermal insulation
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F21V29/00—Protecting lighting devices from thermal damage; Cooling or heating arrangements specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
  • F21V29/50—Cooling arrangements
  • F21V29/70—Cooling arrangements characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
  • F21V29/83—Cooling arrangements characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks the elements having apertures, ducts or channels, e.g. heat radiation holes
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F21V29/00—Protecting lighting devices from thermal damage; Cooling or heating arrangements specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
  • F21V29/85—Protecting lighting devices from thermal damage; Cooling or heating arrangements specially adapted for lighting devices or systems characterised by the material
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F21V31/00—Gas-tight or water-tight arrangements
  • F21V31/005—Sealing arrangements therefor
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21Y—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED
  • F21Y2115/00—Light-generating elements of semiconductor light sources
  • F21Y2115/10—Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Definitions

• the invention generally refers to lightning, and in particular cooling of lightning accessories for lights.
• vehicle lights which are basically intended for the purposes of illuminating the area in front of the vehicle, namely to headlights, additional day lights, fog lights or similar lightning and signaling equipment for vehicles.
• the purpose of invention is to create a tightly closed light of relatively small overall dimensions, in which a light source is incorporated within a reflector, which is surrounded by appropriate casing, which is tightly closed and protected against meteorological influences from the outside and is moreover on the front side covered by a transparent wall or lens and on the rear side by means of appropriate cover, wherein such light should be optionally furnished with different light sources, namely either with a classic filament bulb, preferably a halide one, or when desired with appropriate set of diodes, and wherein the overall dimensions - at least those in mind crucial for mounting a light into each vehicle - as well as the major parts of the light should remain essentially unchanged regardless to each time used light source.
• a light source represents a halide filament bulb, which is inserted into appropriate base and surrounded by appropriate reflector adapted to form a desired light beam and to direct generated light into each desired direction.
• the reflector is surrounded by a casing, which in modern embodiments usually consists of a polymeric material and is tightly closed on its front end by means of a transparent wall consisting of polymeric or mineral material in order to withstand each meteorological influences, while on its rear end a plastic cover is attached.
• Various other supplements may be foreseen within said casing in addition to said reflector, like e.g. screens or regulation means intended for adjusting each desired position of the reflector with respect to the longitudinal axis of the light in order to adjust each desired direction of the light beams.
• diodes When using diodes, the energetic efficiency is much higher, since approximately 20% of the supplied energy is transformed into visible light beams.
• diodes Although diodes are used as a light source an essential amount of heat is generated, which normally represents one of the major problems, in particular when the light source is present within a relatively small volume, which normally occurs in commonly used lights for motor vehicles.
• This phenomena is of particular importance, since such increasing of temperature in the circumference of each diode normally results in decreasing of lightning capability of each diode, so that each overheating may then lead not only to damages of components arranged adjacent to said diode but also to hindering the efficiency of the light as such.
• a brake light according to DE 20 2004 016 669 Ul may be exposed as an example of such approach, where the light comprises a plurality of cooling ribs consisting of a heat conductive material, which results in essential amendment of dimensions and also of visual appearance of such light.
• a commonly applicable light is proposed in DE 20 2006 009 553 Ul, where a diode is used as a light source, in addition to which said light also includes a transformer. Said diode is together with the belonging circuit surrounded with a cooling assembly, which is formed by outwards extending radial ribs spaced apart to each other, wherein said ribs constitute a cooler in form of a truncated cone, in which the width of said ribs on the side of said diode is greater than the width of ribs in the residual portion of said cooler. If such concept would be e.g. used in a light for motor vehicles, then the dimensions of a light would no doubt have to be essentially changed.
• WO 2007/042552 Al or DE 10 2005 049 685.7 respectively proposes a multi-purpose headlight module, in which a diode is attached to its electronic circuit, which is mounted in a tubular heat sink, which consists of a thermal conductive material and is equipped on its circumference with a plurality of ribs and grooves, by which its surface area is then enlarged in order to enhance a heat transfer towards the adjacency thereof.
• a heat sink might e.g. also be mounted within a casing made of a thermoplastic polymeric material, upon which a generated heat could be probably transferred from the diode towards said heat sink, but not also from said heat sink towards the outside circumference of said casing.
• the invention refers to a light, especially for motor vehicles, comprising at least one light source, which is available within a reflector and is together with said reflector surrounded by appropriate casing, which is - when observed in a direction of light beam - on its front side tightly closed and herewith protected against meteorological and mechanical impacts from outside by means of a transparent optical active or passive wall, and on its rearward side by means of appropriate cover.
• such light consists of a lightning module as well as of a complementary module, which is - when observed in a direction of the light beam - rearwards and at least approximately in a coaxial alignment attached to said lightning module, by which said lightning module comprises a casing, which is adapted to receive an appropriate reflector and is closed on the front side by a transparent wall, while said complementary module comprises at least a desired light source together with each belonging control and supplying units as well as a casing, which is closed on its rear side by means of a cover and comprises a front wall, which is faced towards the lightning module and consists of a thermal conductive material, by which at least one throughout passage is arranged adjacent to said wall and extends at least approximately in the vertical direction.
• said complementary module comprises a casing, which completely consists of a thermal conductive material. Accordingly, said complementary module is furnished with at least two at least approximately in the vertical direction extending throughout passages, which are arranged adjacent to the front wall consisting of a thermal conductive material, by which a thermal conductive rib is foreseen between each pair of neighboring passages. In the most preferred embodiment said complementary module is furnished with a plurality of at least approximately in the vertical direction extending throughout passages, which are arranged adjacent to the front wall consisting of a thermal conductive material, by which a thermal conductive rib is foreseen between each pair of neighboring passages.
• said complementary module is furnished with a plurality of at least approximately in the vertical direction extending throughout passages, which are arranged adjacent to the front wall consisting of a thermal conductive material, and that each pair of neighboring passages is separated from each other by means of a thermal conductive rib.
• said complementary module comprises an electronic circuit, which and attached to a corresponding set of diodes protruding into a reflector. Said circuit is arranged on those side of said module, which is faced towards the lightning module, by which a control unit covered by a thermal conductive cover is arranged with respect to said passages on the opposite side of said casing, which is faced towards said cover, which preferably consists of an electric conductive and thermal conductive material, in particular of a metallic material.
• a seal is foreseen between the casing of the supplementary module and the belonging cover, and moreover, a seal - preferably an O-ring - is also foreseen between the casing of the supplementary module and the casing of the lightning module.
• Said lightning module is furthermore is adapted to cooperate either with a complementary module with incorporated at least one light source, which is a diode, or also with a complementary module with incorporated at least one classis light source like a filament bulb.
• Fig. 1 is a cross-section of the light according to the invention along the vertical plane
• Fig. 2 is an explosion view of the light according to Fig. 1.
• a light according to the invention generally consists of a lightning module 1, which is at least when bearing in mind dimensions and manufacturing technology deemed to be invariant with respect to each used light source, as well as of a belonging complementary module 2. Said invariance of the lightning module 1 with respect to each used light source actually means that each particular lightning module 1 may have the same dimensions and may be manufactured in each desired manner regardless to that, if either a filament bulb or a set of diodes is then mounted therein as a lightning source
• Said lightning module 1 consists of a casing 11, which is adapted to receive a reflector 12 and covered in the front portion by means of a transparent wall 13, which is either optically active or passive, and may functionally represent either a convergence or divergence lens, or just a means intended to modify a color of light beams passing there-through.
• a complementary module 2 is coaxially aligned and thanks to an appropriate seal 27 also tightly attached to said lightning module 1, and comprises a casing 20 having a wall 200, which is faced towards said lightning module 1 and consists of a heat conductive material, when desired e.g. of a thermoplastic polymer characterized by a desired thermal conductivity, and in addition to that, said casing 20 is equipped with a plurality of throughout passages 202, which extend at least approximately in the vertical direction and are separated from each other by means of appropriate ribs 201.
• the casing 20 of the complementary module 2 is moreover furnished on its front side 21 with appropriate electronic circuit 25, which is connected with each belonging set of diodes 251, 252, 253, 254 protruding into said reflector 12, while the control unit 23 intended to control said circuit 25 together with diodes 251, 252, 253, 254 is arranged at the rearward side 22 of said casing 20 of the complementary module 2, over which then appropriate cover 24 is attached to said casing 20 and is sealed by means of adequate seal 26.
• Said cover 24 preferably consists of a metallic material and is therefore able not only to protect said electronic components 23, 25, 251, 252, 253, 254 within the complementary module 2 against meteorological and mechanical impacts from the outside, but also to form a protective means which is commonly known as a Farraday cage, and to protect herewith said control unit 23 against electric and other disorders, which may result from any other electric or electronic appliances mounted within the vehicle.
• a lightning module 1 of the same dimensions may therefore be mounted into an equivalent light, in which a filament bulb is used as a light source.
• a filament bulb is used as a light source.
• said lightning module 1 remains unchanged with respect to both dimensions thereof as well as to technology of manufacturing thereof.
• each complementary module 2 is either used as the embodiment containing said set of diodes 251, 252, 253, 254, or alternatively as an embodiment containing appropriate base or holder adapted to receive a classic bulb, while the casing 20 is furnished with a cover 24 on its rearward side 22, wherein the dimensions of said complementary module 2 remain the same regardless to the light source, which generally means that also the overall dimensions of both modules 1, 2 remain the same regardless to each choice of the light source.
• a complementary module 2 with incorporated set of diodes 251, 252, 253, 254 is attached to the lightning module 1, said set protrudes into the reflector 12.
• Heat which is generated within the circuit 25 and diodes 251, 252, 253, 254, is then due to the presence of a thermal conductive wall 200 of the casing 200 transferred to the air, which is present within said passages 202, by which the surface available for transferring the heat from the casing 20 to the adjacent air is essentially enlarged due to the presence of ribs 201 between each neighboring passages 202.
• said heat is not only transferred to the air within said passages 202 but is also conducted along said ribs 201 and the circumferential area of the casing 20 towards the metallic cover 24, which may in such circumstances also serve as an additional means for transferring the heat to the air, which is available in the adjacency behind the light.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
• Optics & Photonics (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Mathematical Physics (AREA)
• Arrangement Of Elements, Cooling, Sealing, Or The Like Of Lighting Devices (AREA)
• Non-Portable Lighting Devices Or Systems Thereof (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (5)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (7)

• 2007
  • 2007-10-12 SI SI200700256A patent/SI22617B/sl not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2007-12-12 WO PCT/SI2007/000043 patent/WO2009048436A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2007-12-12 EP EP07852310.7A patent/EP2210042B1/en not_active Not-in-force

Patent Citations (8)

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