WO2012052946A1

WO2012052946A1 - Automotive light

Info

Publication number: WO2012052946A1
Application number: PCT/IB2011/054672
Authority: WO
Inventors: Franco Marcori
Original assignee: Automotive Lighting Italia S.P.A.
Priority date: 2010-10-19
Filing date: 2011-10-19
Publication date: 2012-04-26
Also published as: DE212011100156U1; ITTV20100138A1; IT1403168B1

Abstract

An automotive light (1) comprising at least one main light source (4) structured so to emit light when powered with electricity, and a cup-shaped body (3) that houses within itself said main light source (4), and has the inner surface (3i) structured so to direct the produced light towards the mouth (3a) of said cup-shaped focusing body (3); the automotive light (1) further comprising a) a first light-guiding sheet (7) which is made of photoconductive material and extends along the mouth (3a) of the cup-shaped focusing body (3), and a corresponding first auxiliary light source (8) which is arranged facing a side edge of said first light-guiding sheet (7), is structured so to emit light when powered with electricity, and is finally oriented so that the light emitted by the same light source enters inside the body of said first light-guiding sheet (7) through the side edge of the same light-guiding sheet (7); and b) at least one second light-guiding sheet (9) which is made of photoconductive material and extends along the mouth (3a) of the focusing cup-shaped body (3), so as to at least partially overlap with the first light-guiding sheet (7), and a corresponding second auxiliary light source (10) which is arranged facing a side edge of said second light-guiding sheet (9), is structured so to emit light when electricity powered, and is oriented so that the light emitted by the same light source enters inside the body of said second light-guiding sheet (9) through the side edge of the same light-guiding sheet (9); said first (7) and said second light-guiding sheet (9) being both structured so to cause the selective escape of the light produced by said second auxiliary light source (10), through at least one part of its front face.

Description

AUTOMOTIVE LIGHT

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an automotive light.

More in detail, the present invention relates to an automotive rear light, to which explicit reference will be made in the following description without therefore loosing in generality.

BACKGROUND ART

As known, the rear lights of automobiles usually consist of a rigid rear shell, which is substantially basin-shaped, and is structured so as to be stably recessed in a compartment specifically made in the rear part of the vehicle body; of at least one cup-shaped body with a substantially parabolic profile, which is positioned inside the rear shell with concavity facing towards the mouth of the shell, and has a mirror-treated inner surface so as to reflect the incising light towards the mouth; and of a light source, which is arranged next to the bottom of the cup-shaped body, and is structured so as to emit light when powered with electricity; and of a lenticular half-shell, which is at least partially made of plastic or semi-plastic, possibly colored material, and is placed to close the mouth of the shell so as to surface on the outside of the body of the vehicle and be crossed by the light emitted by the light source underneath.

Furthermore, over the past years, the rear light has been gradually more integrated in the outer profile of the vehicle body, arriving to envelop the two edges of the body which join the side panels of the automobile with the rear part of the same.

Along with the integration of the rear lights in the profile of the body and consequent adoption of lenticular half-shells with particularly complex three- dimensional shapes, the main manufacturers of rear lights for automobiles and the like have decided to replace incandescent light bulbs with batteries of light emitting diodes, traditionally named LEDs. Indeed, light emitting diodes have a higher light efficiency and an average life ten times longer than that of incandescent light bulbs.

Obviously, the increasingly more extreme integration of rear lights in the profile of the body and the concurrent adoption of light emitting diodes has caused a drastic reduction in the average depth of rear automotive lights.

Regretfully, the drastic reduction in the average depth of the rear lights has in some manner, often negatively, influenced the perception by observers of light signals emitted by the lights themselves.

Indeed, in old automotive lights, the light bulbs were positioned on different planes, and therefore the various light signals had a different field depth which, in some manner, facilitated the discrimination thereof by the observer, while in more modern rear lights the flattening of the light has brought all the light sources onto the same plane, making two or more signals of similar color more difficult to distinguish.

Furthermore, the flattening of the rear lights has in some manner reduced/limited the variety of plays of light which may be created in the light, with all the problems that this implies.

The shape of the automotive rear lights and the plays of light that they made, indeed, allow to easily distinguish a model of automobile or one automobile from the other also in total darkness, i.e. without the possibility of distinguishing the outlines of the vehicle .

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to make an automotive rear light for cars, motor vehicles and the like, which can reproduces the plays of lights with a field depth comparable to that of old automotive lights, but with shapes and dimensions in line with current manufacturing needs.

In accordance with these objectives, in conformity to the present invention, an automotive light is made as disclosed in claim 1 and preferably, but not necessarily, in any dependent claim. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a non-limitative embodiment thereof, in which:

- figure 1 shows a partially exploded axonometric view, with parts removed for clarity, of an automotive rear light made according to the dictates of the present invention;

- figure 2 is a section view of the rear light shown in figure 1;

- figure 3 is an exploded axonometric view, with parts removed for clarity of a second embodiment of the automotive lights shown in figure 1; while

figures 4 and 5 show, respectively, in perspective and section view, a variant of some components of the automotive light shown in figures 1 and 3.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to figures 1 and 2, numeral 1 indicates as a whole an automotive light specifically structured to be fixed onto the body of an automobile, motor cycle or other motor vehicle.

More in detail, in the example shown, the automotive light 1 is preferably, but not necessarily, structured to be fixed onto the rear part of an automobile and comprises:

a rigid rear shell 2 which is substantially basing-shaped, and is preferably, but not necessarily, structured so as to be embedded in compartment specifically made in the rear part of the body of the automobile, or in all cases structured so as to be fixed onto the rear part of the body of the automobile,

- at least one cup-shaped body 3, which is embedded in the rear shell 2 with concavity facing the mouth 2a of the rear shell 2, i.e. with its mouth 3a aligned with the mouth 2a of the rear shell 2, and has an inner surface 3i structured so as to deviate/direct the incident light towards the mouth 3a of the cup-shaped body 3 and thus towards the mouth 2a of the rear shell 2 ; and

- at least one light source 4, which is located next to the bottom of the cup-shaped body 3, approximately in the middle of the same, and is structured so as to emit light when powered with electricity .

The automotive light 1 is further provided with a front lenticular half-shell 5, which is at least partially made of a transparent or semi-transparent material, and which is placed to close the mouth 2a of the rear shell 2, and thus also covering the mouth 3a of the cup-shaped body 3, so as to surface preferably, but not necessarily, from the outside of the vehicle body (not shown) and be crossed by the light emitted by the light source 4. More in detail, the lenticular half-shell 5 is provided with at least one transparent or semi- transparent, possibly colored, portion and is positioned to close the mouth 2a of the rear shell 2, so that the transparent or semi-transparent portion thereof is crossed by at least part of the light which is emitted by the light source 4 and reflected towards the mouth 2a of the shell by the cup-shaped body 3.

With reference to figures 1 and 2, in the illustrated example, in particular, the cup-shaped body 3 is formed, preferably but not necessarily, by a concave half-shell 3 having a complex three-dimensional shape which has at least one main cavity, preferably, but not necessarily, parabolic, in which the light source 4 is positioned; and the inner surface 3i at least of such main cavity is metalized or otherwise mirror-finished, so as to reflect the incident light towards the mouth 3a of the cup-shaped body 3, i.e. towards the mouth 2a of the rear shell 2 and towards the lenticular half-shell 5 immediately above.

More in detail, in the illustrated example, the entire inner surface, or surface "in sight" 3i of the cup-shaped body 3, i.e. the entire surface of the concave half-shell 3 facing the lenticular half-shell 5, is preferably, but not necessarily mirror-finished so as to reflect the incident light.

With reference to figures 1 and 2, in particular, the lenticular half-shell 5 is preferably, but not necessarily, entirely made of a transparent or semi- transparent material, possibly also colored (e.g. polycarbonate or poly methyl methacrylate ) , by means of an injection molding procedure; while the concave half- shell 3 of complex three-dimensional shape, i.e. the focusing cup-shaped body 3, is preferably, but not necessarily entirely made of an opaque plastic material by means of an injection molding procedure, and the entire inner surface or surface "in sight" 3i, i.e. the entire surface facing the lenticular half-shell 5, is mirror-metallized so as to reflect the incident light.

Obviously, in a different embodiment, the cup- shaped body 3 may be made in one piece with the rear casing 2, preferably, but not necessarily, again by means of an injection molding procedure.

With reference to figure 2, in the example shown, the light source 4 is instead preferably, but not necessarily, constituted by an incandescent light bulb 4 or the like, which is removably fitted on a bulb holder base 6, which, in turn, is structured so as to be fixed in rigid, stable, but easily releasable manner onto the back of the rear shell 2 and/or directly onto the back of the cup-shaped body 3, so that the bulb of the light bulb 4 can protrude into the main cavity of the cup- shaped body 3 through a through-opening specifically obtained on the bottom of the rear shell 2 and of the cup-shaped body 3, remaining locally substantially coaxial to the longitudinal axis A of the main cavity of the cup-shaped body 3.

In a more sophisticated variant embodiment (not shown) , the light source 4 may be possibly constituted also by a group of light emitting diodes, traditionally named LEDs, which are positioned in the cup-shaped body 3, approximately next to the bottom of the main cavity of the cup-shaped body 3, and are approximately oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis A of the cup-shaped body 3, so as to project the light produced mainly towards the lenticular half-shell 5 above.

With reference to figures 1 and 2, the automotive light 1 is further provided with a first light-guiding sheet 7 which is made of photoconductive material and extends over the mouth 3a of the cup-shade body 3, i.e. between the cup-shaped body 3 and the lenticular half- shell 5, preferably, but not necessarily, so as to at least partially cover the main cavity of the cup-shaped body 3 which houses the light source 4; and with a first auxiliary light source 8 of elongated shape, i.e. of linear development, which is arranged beside a side edge of the light-guiding sheet 7, is structured so as to emit light when it is powered with electricity, and is finally oriented so that the light emitted by the light source itself enters into the body of the light-guiding sheet 7 through the side edge of the same, and then propagates in the light-guiding sheet 7 under the same physical principles which regulate the propagation of light in optical fiber cables.

The light-guiding sheet 7 is further structured so as to cause the controlled, gradual escape of the light produced by the auxiliary light source 8 through at least one part of front face thereof, i.e. through at least one part of the face facing the lenticular half- shell 5.

Unlike the automotive lights currently known, the automotive light 1 further comprises a second light- guiding sheet 9 made of photoconductive material, which extends over the mouth 3a of the cup-shaped body 3, i.e. between the cup-shaped body 3 and the lenticular half- shell 5, so as to at least partially overlap with the light-guiding sheet 7, remaining locally parallel and distanced from the latter; and a second auxiliary light source 10 of elongated shape, i.e. of linear development, which is arranged facing the side edge of the light-guiding sheet 9, is structured so as to emit light when powered with electricity, and is finally oriented so that the light emitted by the light source itself enters into the body of the light-guiding sheet 9 through the side edge of the same, and then propagates in the light-guiding sheet 9 under the same physical principles with regulate the propagation of the light in optical fiber cables. More in detail, the auxiliary light source 10 is completely separate and independent from the auxiliary light source 8, and may thus emit light interpedently from the auxiliary light source 8.

Similarly to he light-guiding sheet 7, also the light-guiding sheet 9 is structured so as to cause the controlled, gradual escape of the light produced by the auxiliary light source 10, through at least a part of the front face thereof, i.e. though at least one part of the face facing the lenticular half-shell 5. Obviously, in the zone or zones in which the light-guiding sheet 9 overlaps the light-guiding sheet 7, the light escaping from the front face of the light-guiding sheet 7 crosses the light-guiding sheet 9 before reaching the lenticular half-shell 5.

More in detail, with reference to figures 1 and 2, in the example shown the light-guiding sheet 7 and 9 have, at least on one part of the front or rear face thereof, a multitude of cavities or blind holes, preferably, but not necessarily, with a lenticular profile and diameter smaller than one millimeter, with frustum of cone profile, with frustum of pyramid profile, or pyramid profile, which can deviate, on the outside the body of the sheet, the light rays which bounce in the inside of the body of the light-guiding sheet 7 or 9, reach/incise the surface of the sheet at such cavities/blind holes. Alternatively, the controlled escape of the light trapped in the body of the light-guiding sheet 7 or 9 may be also obtained, at least on one part of the front or rear face of the sheet, by a close-knit series of surface grooves of reduced depth; or by subjecting the sheet to a surface abrasion process (sand-blasting) , silking or silk-screen printing so as to locally increase the surface roughness of the light-guiding sheet 7, 9 and obtain a surface with locally embossed profile.

Additionally, to the above, the extraction/scattering means of the light (i.e. the cavities or lenticular profile blind holes, the surface grooves or the embossed profile portions of the surface of the sheet) on the front or rear face of the light- guiding sheet 7 or 9 may be distributed on the body of the light-guiding sheet 7 or 9 so as to form/compose one or more surface decorative optical patterns.

The shape of the decorative optical patterns on the light-guiding sheet 9 (i.e. on the light-guiding sheet positioned closest to the lenticular half-shell 5) is preferably, but not necessarily, different from the shape of the decorative optical patterns present on the light-guiding sheet 7 (i.e. on the light-guiding sheet positioned closest to the mouth 3a of the cup-shaped body 3), so that the automotive light 1 can produce, according to the combined or separate lighting of the auxiliary light sources 8 and 10, a series of plays of light which are different from one another.

Additionally and/or alternatively, the decorative optical patterns on the surface of the light-guiding sheet 9 may have a shape proportionally larger than that of the decorative optical pattern or patterns present on the surface of the light-guiding sheet 7, so as to artificially increase the depth of the field of the light signal emitted by the automotive light 1 when the auxiliary light sources 8 and 10 are lit either at the same time or in rapid sequence.

Additionally, in a further embodiment, the decorative optical pattern/s on the surface of the light-guiding sheet 9 may have shape and/or spatial periodicity slightly different from that of the decorative optical drawing/s on the surface of the light-guiding sheet 7, so as to cause, in the light escaping from the lenticular half-shell 5, an interferometric effect with Moire deterioration which induces, in the eyes of the observer, a virtual decorative optical pattern which has shape and spatial periodicity completely different from those of the two decorative optical patterns on the light-guiding sheets 7 and 9.

With reference to figures 1 and 2, in the example shown, in particular the light-guiding sheet 7 extends along the mouth 3a of the cup-shaped body 3 preferably, but not necessarily, so as to completely cover the main cavity of the cup-shaped body 3 which houses the light source 4; while the light-guiding sheet 9 is preferably, but not necessarily, dimensioned so as to completely cover the light-guiding sheet 7, remaining locally parallel and distanced from the latter.

Furthermore, in the example shown, the light- guiding sheets 7 and 9 have a nominal thickness preferably, but not necessarily, comprised between 0.5 and 10 millimeters; are positioned at a minimum distance d from each other and preferably, but not necessarily, encompassed between 10 millimeters and 50 millimeters, and in all cases less than 200 millimeters; and, finally, are entirely made of a transparent or semi- transparent polymeric material, such as, for example, polymethyl methacrylate or polycarbonate, by means of an injection molding process.

Finally, with reference to figures 1 and 2, in the example shown, the extraction/scattering means of the light from the body of the sheet (i.e. the cavities or blind holes with a lenticular profile, the surface grooves or the portions of the surface of the embossed profile sheet) are preferably, but not necessarily, distributed uniformly on the entire rear face of the light-guiding sheets 7 and 9, so as to cause the controlled, gradual escape of the light entrapped inside the body of the sheet through the entire front face of the light-guiding sheets 7 and 9.

The rays of lights which accidentally escape from the rear face of the light-guiding sheet 7 or 9 are instead reflected back towards the lenticular half-shell 5 of the inner surface 3a or the cup-shaped body 3.

Obviously, in a different embodiment, the extraction/scattering means of the light from the body of the sheet could be distributed uniformly on the front face of the light-guiding sheet 7 and/or 9, or could be distributed uniformly only on the front or rear face of only one of the two light-guiding sheets 7 and 9.

On the other hand, the auxiliary light sources 8 and 10, instead, each preferably consist of a plurality of light emitting diodes 12, traditionally named LEDs, which are fixed to one another in sequence on a supporting and powering base 13 of elongated shaped, which preferably, but not necessarily, also integrates the adjustment devices of the current which circulates across the single light emitting diodes 12.

More in detail, the light emitting diodes 12 are positioned along the longitudinal axis of the base, appropriately distanced from one another, and the supporting base 13 is fixed onto the side edge of the light-guiding sheet 7 or 9, e.g. by means of gluing, so that the various diodes 12 face the side edge of the light-guiding sheet 7 or 9, preferably, but not necessarily, abut against the body of the sheet itself. Obviously, the optical axis of the light cone generated by each light emitting diode 12 is preferably, but not necessarily, oriented so as to be locally coplanar to the laying plane of the light-guiding sheet 7 or 9, and locally essentially parallel to the side edge of the light-guiding sheet 7 or 9 itself, so that the light emitted by the diode 12 strikes the side edge of the sheet remaining locally substantially perpendicular to the surface of the side edge of the sheet so as to enter into the body of the sheet.

Alternatively, the light emitting diodes 12 which form the auxiliary light sources 8 and 10 may also be directly incorporated in the body of the light-guiding sheet 7 or 9 during the injection molding process of the light-guiding sheet, preferably, but not necessarily, along with the respective support base 12.

Obviously, the auxiliary light sources 8 and 10 may also consist of a single light emitting diode 12 positioned on a side edge of the corresponding light- guiding sheet 7 and 9.

The operation of the automotive light 1 is easily inferred from the description above and no further explanations are required, except for mentioning that the light produced by the light source 4 may freely cross the two light-guiding sheets 7 and 9 and may then exit through the lenticular half-shell 5, because the light rays coming out from the mouth 3a of the cup- shaped body have an angle of incidence close to 90°, i.e. are locally and substantially perpendicular to the surface of the rear face of the light-guiding sheets 7 and 9.

With regards to the an interferometric effect with

Moire deterioration, instead, this phenomenon occurs when the decorative optical patterns on the surface of the light-guiding sheet 7, and the decorative optical patterns on the surface of the light-guiding sheet 9 have a predetermined spatial distribution with respect to each other; or when the decorative optical patterns on the surface of the light-guiding sheet 7, and the optical decorative patterns on the surface of the light- guiding sheet 9 have identical shape but are slightly offset and/or turned with respect to each other so as to have a spatial periodicity slightly different from each other. The conditions which lead to the onset of the interferometric effect with Moire deterioration have been explained in mathematic terms in many scientific publications, such as, for example, the treatise entitled "Analysis of the Superposition of Periodic Layers and Their Moire Effects through the Algebraic Structure of Their Fourier Spectrum", which was published in volume 9 of the Journal of Mathematical Imaging and Vision del 1889, the content of which is incorporated in the present patent application for the sake of completeness. There are many advantages deriving from the particular structure of the automotive light 1. Firstly, the use of two different light-guiding sheets 7 and 9 each coupled to a respective auxiliary light source 8, 10, allows the automotive light 1 to produce three- dimensional plays of light which are radially different and aesthetically more pleasing than those made by the rear lights currently fitted in production.

It is finally apparent that changes and variants can be made to the automotive light 1 described and shown herein without departing from the protective scope of the present invention.

For example, the automotive light 1 may be provided with an electronic control unit (not shown) which, when an external control signal is received, can control the auxiliary light sources 8 and 10 so as to coordinate the switching on and off of such auxiliary light sources according to a predetermined time sequence. This time sequence may be chosen so that the automotive light 1 can generate light signals which, to the eyes of an external observer, appear to move within the light.

Furthermore, with reference to the variant shown in figure 3, the automotive light 1 may be provided with a third light-guiding sheet 14 which overlaps at least partially with the light-guiding sheet 9 preferably, but not necessarily, in the zone in which the light-guiding sheet 9 overlaps with the light-guiding sheet 7, thus remaining parallel and distanced from the light-guiding sheet 9; and a third auxiliary light source 15 of elongated, i.e. linear, shape, which is arranged either facing or directly abutting against a side edge of the light-guiding sheet 14, is structured so as to emit light when powered with electricity, and is finally oriented so that the emitted light enters into the body of the light-guiding sheet 14 through the side edge of the same, and then propagates within the light-guiding sheet 14 in the strength of the same physical principles which regulate the propagation of light in optical fiber cables .

Obviously, the light-guiding sheet 14 extends over the mouth 3a of the cup-shaped body 3, between the cup- shaped body 3 and the lenticular half-shell 5.

Similarly to the light-guiding sheets 7 and 9, the light-guiding sheet 14 is also structured so as to cause the controlled, gradual escape of the light produced by the auxiliary light source 15, through at least one part of its front face, i.e. through at least part of the face facing the lenticular half-shell 5.

In this more sophisticated embodiment, the extraction/scattering means of the light from the body of the sheet (i.e. the cavities or blind holes, the surface grooves or the portions of the embossed profile surface of the plate) may be distributed on the front and/or rear face of the light-guiding sheet 7, on the front and/or rear face of the light-guiding sheet 9, and on the front and/or rear face of the light-guiding sheets 14, so as to compose decorated optical patterns appropriately offset from each other on the sheets.

The structure of the auxiliary light source 15 is instead similar to that of the auxiliary light sources 8 and 10, and for this reason will not be described in further detail.

Also in this variant embodiment, the automotive light 1 made be provided with an electronic control unit (not shown) which, when an external control signal is received, can control the auxiliary light sources 8, 10 and 15 so as to coordinate the switching on and off of such auxiliary light sources according to a predetermined time sequence. This time sequence may be chosen so that the automotive light 1 can generate lights signals which appear to move within the automobile light to the eyes of an external observer.

Furthermore, with reference to figures 4 and 5, one or both of the light-guiding sheets 7 and 9 may be eventually also provided with one or more roundings or drawn segments 7a, 9a, which protrude with respect to the laying plane of the sheet preferably, but not necessity, towards the cup-shaped body 3 underneath, and within which the extraction/scattering means of the light from the body of the sheet may be positioned (i.e. the lenticular profile cavities or blind holes, the surface grooves or the embossed profile portions of the surface of the sheet) .

In the embodiment shown in figures 4 and 5, in particular, the light-guiding sheet 7 is provided with a series of roundings or drawn segments 7a, which are preferably, but not necessarily, pyramid shaped; while the light-guiding sheet 9 is provided with a series of roundings or drawn segments 9a, which are preferably, but not necessarily, frustum of pyramid shaped, each of which is aligned with a corresponding rounding or drawn segment 7a of the light-guiding sheet 7.

Claims

1. An automotive light (1) comprising at least one main light source (4) structured so to emit light when electricity powered, and a cup-shaped body (3) that houses within itself said main light source (4), and has the inner surface (3i) structured so to direct the produced light towards the mouth (3a) of said cup-shaped body (3);

the automotive light (1) being characterized by also comprising:

a first light-guiding sheet (7) which is made of photoconductive material and extends along the mouth (3a) of the cup-shaped body (3), and a corresponding first auxiliary light source (8) which is arranged facing a side edge of said first light-guiding sheet (7), is structured so to emit light when electricity powered, and is finally oriented so that the light emitted by the same light source enters inside the body of said first light-guiding sheet (7) through the side edge of the same light-guiding sheet (7); said first light-guiding sheet (7) being structured so to cause the selective getting out of the light produced by said first auxiliary light source (8), through at least one part of its front face; and

- at least one second light-guiding sheet (9) which is made of photoconductive material and extends along the mouth (3a) of the focusing cup-shaped body (3) , so as to at least partially overlap with the first light-guiding sheet (7), and a corresponding second auxiliary light source (10) which is arranged facing a side edge of said second light-guiding sheet (9), is structured so to emit light when electricity powered, and is oriented so that the light emitted by the same light source enters inside the body of said second light-guiding sheet (9) through the side edge of the same light-guiding sheet (9); said second light-guiding sheet (9) being in turn structured so to cause the selective getting out of the light produced by said second auxiliary light source (10) , through at least one part of its front face.

2. Automotive light according to Claim 1, characterized in that the second light-guiding sheet (9) at least partially overlaps with the first light-guiding sheet (7) , remaining locally parallel and spaced from the latter.

3. Automotive light according to Claim 2, characterized in that the distance (d) between the first

(7) and the second light-guiding sheet (9) is less than 200 millimeters.

4. Automotive light according to Claim 3, characterized in that the distance (d) between the first (7) and the second light-guiding sheet (9) is encompassed between 10 and 50 millimeters.

5. Automotive light according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first (7) and the second light-guiding sheet (9) have, on at least one part of their front or back face, light extraction/scattering means which are adapted to deviate, outwards from the body of the light-guiding sheet (7, 9), the light rays that are reflected within the body of the light-guiding sheet (7, 9) .

6. Automotive light according to Claim 5, characterized in that said light extraction/scattering means are arranged on the body of the light-guiding sheet (7, 9) so as to form/compose one or more surface decorative optical patterns.

7. Automotive light according to Claim 6, characterized in that the surface decorative optical patterns located on the surface of the second light- guiding sheet (9) have a shape and/or a spatial periodicity slightly different from that of the decorative optical pattern/s on the surface of the first light-guiding sheet (7), so as to cause, in the light coming out from the automotive light, an interferometric effect with Moire deterioration which generates a virtual decorative optical pattern different from the decorative optical patterns on the first (7) and second light-guiding sheet (9).

8. Automotive light according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by also comprising at least a third light-guiding sheet (14) which is made of photoconductive material and extends along the mouth (3a) of the cup-shaped body (3), so as to at least partially overlap with the second light-guiding sheet (9), and a corresponding third auxiliary light source (15) which is arranged facing a side edge of said third light-guiding sheet (14), is structured so to emit light when powered with electricity, and is oriented so that the light emitted by the same light source enters inside the body of said third light-guiding sheet (14) through the side edge of the same light-guiding sheet (14); said third light-guiding sheet (14) being in turn structured so as to cause the selective escape of the light produced by said third auxiliary light source (15), through at least one part of its front face.

9. Automotive light according to Claim 8, characterized in that the third light-guiding sheet (14) at least partially overlaps with the second light- guiding sheet (9), remaining locally parallel and spaced from the latter.

10. Automotive light according to Claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the third light-guiding sheet (14) overlaps with the second light-guiding sheet (9) in the area in which the second light-guiding sheet (9) overlaps with the first light-guiding sheet (7).

11. Automotive light according to Claim 8, 9, or

10, characterized by also comprising an electronic control unit which is able to control the first (8), the second (9) and the third auxiliary light source (15) so as to coordinate the switching on and off of said auxiliary light sources according to a predetermined time sequence.

12. Automotive light according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by also comprising a rigid rear shell (2) which houses the cup-shaped body (3), and a front lenticular half-shell (5) which is at least partially made of a transparent or semitransparent material, and closes the mouth (2a) of the rear shell (2), over all of the light-guiding sheets (7, 9, 14).

13. Automotive light according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cup-shaped body (3) is formed by a concave half-shell (3) having a complex three-dimensional shape and which has at least a main cavity within which said main light source (4) is located; and in that at least the inner surface (3i) of said main cavity is mirror finished so as to reflect the incident light towards the mouth (3a) of the cup-shaped body (3) .