WO2014079541A1

WO2014079541A1 - Mixing and coupling of light into a light guide by means of a deflecting device and a mixer rod

Info

Publication number: WO2014079541A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/003334
Authority: WO
Inventors: Karl Lubkowsky; Manfred Rode
Original assignee: Daimler Ag
Priority date: 2012-11-21
Filing date: 2013-11-06
Publication date: 2014-05-30
Also published as: DE102012022716A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for mixing and coupling light (3) into a light guide (5). In order to facilitate a more compact construction of a corresponding mixing device (13), the method is carried out as follows: radiation of the light (3) from the light source (23) with a first central beam direction (7), deflection of the light (3) on a deflecting element (17), thereby changing the first central beam direction (7) into a second central beam direction (9), mixing of the deflected light (3) having the second central beam direction (9) by means of a plurality of total reflections (11) in an optical fibre (15).

Description

03334

1

Mixing and coupling of light into a light guide by means of a

Deflection device and a mixer rod

The invention relates to a method and a mixing device for mixing and coupling light in a light guide and a motor vehicle equipped with the mixing device.

The mixing and coupling of light into a light guide is known. For this purpose, a mixing device, in particular a mixer rod, can be connected between a light source and the light guide. In particular, the mixer rod can for this purpose have a geometry suitable for mixing the light, in particular be designed polygonal. The light source may be a multicolor light source, where multicolor light may be mixed in terms of spectrum and / or intensity. DE 28 37 682 A1 relates to an optical mixer element, in which two bundles of photoconductive fibers are connected to one another via a mixer path, wherein a bundle of photoconductive fibers, which is fused without gaps on one side and tapers in a tapered manner. In particular, it is provided that the mixer path consists of a rod of transparent material into which the bundles of light-conducting fibers abut. From DE 20 2009 005 825 U1 a high-power LED light mixer is known, are arranged radially in the LED lighting means.

The object of the invention is to allow a more compact design of a device for mixing and coupling of light in a light guide.

The object is achieved by a method according to claim 1. Advantageously, the radiated light can be deflected so that, for example, a shorter mixing device is possible. Overall, therefore, a more compact construction of a device necessary for carrying out the method is possible.

A preferred embodiment of the method is carried out according to claim 2. Advantageously, the light can be mixed within the mixing device. After mixing, the light can be decoupled and coupled into the light guide. A further preferred embodiment of the method is carried out according to claim 3. Advantageously, a particularly compact design can be achieved, since both the mixing and the changing of the beam direction can take place within the mixing device. Advantageously, no additional deflection devices are to be provided. Advantageously, these can be implemented in particular integrated by means of the mixing device.

A further preferred embodiment of the method is carried out according to claim 4. Advantageously, therefore, the first mean beam direction can be changed in the second mean beam direction by means of the deflection such that, for example, the first mean beam direction at an angle, in particular at a right angle to the longitudinal axis and the second mean beam direction, ie after the deflection of the light , extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis, in particular runs approximately in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the mixing device. Advantageously, a corresponding light source, by means of which the light can be emitted, is thereby arranged next to the mixing device. Advantageously, thereby a total necessary length of the mixing device and the light source can be reduced. Advantageously, this makes an overall more compact design possible.

A further preferred embodiment of the method is carried out according to claim 5. Advantageously, the second mean beam direction can be generated outside the mixing device. In particular, this can be done by means of a mirror, which is arranged in the vicinity of a coupling-in surface of the mixing device. Advantageously, therefore, the deflection of the light can take place first outside the mixing device. Advantageously, a corresponding functional element of the mixing device for the actual mixing of the light can be constructed comparatively simply.

A further preferred embodiment of the method is carried out according to claim 6. Advantageously, no additional functional elements, such as a mirror, are required to redirect the first mean beam direction into the second center beam direction. Rather, this can be done by means of Umlenktotalreflexion, wherein the mixing device requires only a polished surface, where the total reflection can take place. The object is also achieved by a mixing device according to claim 7. The mixing device is in particular set up, designed and / or constructed for carrying out a method described above. Advantageously, the light source can be arranged outside a longitudinal axis of the mixer rod, in particular next to the mixer rod. As a result, a length of the mixing device can be shortened, which allows a more compact construction of the mixing device. Incidentally, the advantages described above arise. After mixing the deflected light, it can be decoupled from this via a corresponding outcoupling surface of the mixer rod. The coupled-out light can advantageously be coupled into the optical waveguide in a mixed state. For this purpose, the light guide can be arranged adjacent to the outcoupling surface of the mixer rod.

A preferred embodiment of the mixing device is designed according to claim 8. Advantageously, the mirror is integrated in the mixer rod, which allows a particularly compact design of the mixing device. Since the mirror is arranged obliquely to the longitudinal axis, the light source can be arranged next to the mixer rod.

A further preferred embodiment of the mixing device is constructed according to claim 9. Advantageously, a surface adaptation between the light source, the mixing device and the light guide, in particular a fiber bundle of the light guide, take place.

The object is also achieved by a motor vehicle according to claim 10. The motor vehicle has a mixing device described above and / or is set up, designed, designed to carry out a previously described method and / or equipped with software suitable for this purpose. This results in the advantages described above.

Further advantages, features and details will become apparent from the following description in which - where appropriate, with reference to the drawings - at least one embodiment is described in detail. Described and / or illustrated features may form the subject of the invention itself or in any meaningful combination, optionally also independent of the claims, and may in particular additionally be the subject of one or more separate application / s. The same, similar and / or functionally identical parts are given the same reference numerals Mistake. Show it:

Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a motor vehicle to illustrate an environment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic three-dimensional view obliquely from the top front of an optical waveguide connected mixing device, wherein the optical fiber is connected to a luminous textile.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of a beam path within a tapered mixer rod of the mixing device shown in FIG. 2; FIG.

4 shows a further schematic side view of a mixing device connected between a light source and an optical waveguide; and

FIG. 5 is a front view of the mixing device shown in FIG. 4. FIG.

1 shows a schematic side view of a motor vehicle 1. The motor vehicle 1 has a luminous textile 31 on a side cheek of a seat 33. The luminous textile 31 can be perceived by a user 35 of the motor vehicle 1 as part of an ambient lighting, not shown. For this purpose, the luminous textile 31 emits a light 3. The light 3 may be, in particular, colored light producing the ambience. A color, in particular a color temperature and / or an intensity of the light 3 is controlled in particular by means of a control device 29. For this purpose, the control device 29 controls a light source, not shown in detail in FIG. 1, which is in particular capable of producing different colors and / or intensities of the light 3.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a light conductor 5 connected to the light-emitting textile 31. The light guide 5 is also connected to a mixing device 13. By means of the mixing device 13, which has a tapered polygonal mixing rod 15, a multicolored light 3 can be mixed with one of a light source indicated in Fig. 2 only by the reference numeral 23. The light guide 5 has a multiplicity of fibers 37 which supply the mixed light 3 to the light-emitting textile 31, wherein the light-emitting textile 31 can radiate the mixed light 3 flat into an interior of the motor vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 1, so that the user 35 can radiate the mixed light 3 Impression of a uniform, areal ambient lighting can win.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of a mixer rod 15 of a mixing device 13 analogous to the mixer rod 15 shown in FIG. 2.

The mixer rod 15 shown in Fig. 3 is also tapered, so that different cross-sections of a coupling surface 43 to a decoupling surface 45 are compensated. The Einkoppelungsfiäche 43 serves for coupling the light emitted from the light source 23 3 in the mixer rod 15th

The decoupling surface 45 is used for decoupling of the finally mixed light 3, so that this can then be coupled into the optical waveguide 5. The light guide 5 is arranged adjacent to the decoupling surface 45 of the mixer rod 15 of the mixing device 13.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the coupling-in surface 43 is formed by means of a recess 47. The recess 47 may, for example, be provided in the form of a ground step on an end of the mixer rod 15 arranged adjacent to the light source 23. In the Einkoppelungsfiäche 43 is in particular a plane. Alternatively or additionally, the Einkoppelungsfiäche 43 may also have different configurations, for example, convex or concave.

In FIG. 3, an optical path of the light 3 within the mixer rod 15 is shown by way of example. The light emitted by the light source 23 3 is first coupled via the Einkoppelungsfiäche 43 in the mixer rod 15. The light 3 is emitted by the light source 23 with a first central beam direction 7 in the direction of the coupling surface 43. By a mean beam direction 7, for example, a central axis of a light cone generated by the light source 23 can be understood. In general, a mean direction of the sum of all light beams radiated by the light source 23 is understood to mean. Advantageously, the mixer rod 15 has a deflection device 25 at its end arranged adjacent to the light source 23. By means of the deflection device 25, the first mean beam direction 7 can be deflected in a second central beam direction 9. In particular, the second central jet direction 9 points in the direction of a longitudinal axis 19 of the mixer rod 15, is arranged in particular parallel to it, in particular at an acute angle to it. It can be seen that the light beam of the light 3 drawn in by way of example in FIG. 3 and emitted by the light source 23 is first reflected at the deflection device 25. This is done in particular by means of a mirror 17, which is arranged obliquely to the longitudinal axis 19 of the mixer rod 15. Alternatively or additionally, this takes place in the interior of the mixer rod 15 of the mixing device 13 by means of a Umlenktotalreflexion 21 on a surface of the mixer rod 15. The surface of the mixer rod 15 is also arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis 19. The reflected light from the mirror 17 and / or the surface of the mixer rod 15 3 is mixed by means of further total reflections 11 in a known manner within the mixer rod 15 and coupled via the Auskoppelungsfläche 45 of the mixer rod 15. Thereafter, as described above, it may be coupled into the light guide 5 as mixed light 3.

4 shows a further schematic side view of a mixing device 13. The mixing device 13 shown in FIG. 4 has a mixer rod 15 which has a polygonal cross section, in particular an octagonal cross section.

Diagonally to the longitudinal axis 19 of the mixer rod 5, a mirror 17 is arranged on one of the light source 23 adjacent arranged end, which also has the coupling surface 43. The mirror 17 is arranged obliquely to the longitudinal axis 19 of the mixer rod 15. The return 47 forming the coupling surface 43 and the light source 23 arranged parallel to the coupling surface 43 can also be seen. The light source 23 is designed in particular as a red-green-blue light-emitting diode (RGB LED). The red-green-blue LED 41 of the light source 23 is mounted on a surface of a board 27, in particular, by means of a surface mounting technique (SMD).

As a result, a compact construction of the board 27 together with the light source 23 can be made possible. Advantageously, the recess 43 provides a space for the light source 23. The light source 23 is thus at least partially disposed within the recess 47 of the mixer rod 15. Advantageously, a space of the entire mixing Device 13 can be optimized. It can be seen that the light source 23 lights through the coupling surface 43 of the recess 47, wherein the emitted light 3 strikes the mirror 17 of the mixing device 13 with the first central beam direction 7. The mirror 17 is realized in particular by a separate mirror and / or by Umlenktotalreflexionen 21 taking place within the mixer rod 15. The deflected light 3, after hitting the mirror 17, has the second mean beam direction 9, which in particular runs parallel to the longitudinal axis 19 of the mixer rod 15, in particular at an acute angle thereto.

The mixer rod 15 is mounted on the board 27 by means of a plurality of fixing pins 39. Likewise, the light guide 5 is mounted on the board 27 by means of the fixing pins 39. Seen in a direction of propagation or the second mean beam direction 9 of the light 3, the light guide 5 is mounted behind the mixer rod 15, that is arranged adjacent to the decoupling surface 45.

FIG. 5 shows a front view of the mixing device 13 shown in FIG. 4. It can be seen that the light source 23 is arranged at least partially within the recess 47 of the mixer rod 15. In addition, the octagonal shape of the mixer rod 15 can be seen. In addition, it can be seen that the red-green-blue LED 41 has three different individual light-emitting diodes, which can deliver a red, a green and a blue light in different intensities to the mixer rod 5. Advantageously, these different colors and intensities are mixed within the mixing rod 15, so that each of the fibers 37 of the light guide 5 can be exposed to the light 3, wherein for each fiber 37 substantially the same color and intensity of the light 3 is available.

The luminous textile 31 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a large number of optical fibers which can be fed by means of the fibers 37 of the optical waveguide 5, in particular can be combined as optical fiber bundles of the optical waveguide 5. The formed as a color switchable light source 23 red-green-blue light emitting diode 41 produces differently colored light 3, which is after mixing by means of the mixer rod 15 as described above for illuminating the Leuchttextiis 31 available. Advantageously, the generation of the light 3 take place at a certain distance from the actual luminous textile 31. The mixed light 3 can advantageously be transported by means of the light guide 5, for example, as shown in Fig. 1, to the side cheek of the seat 33. In particular, the mixer rod 15 is tapered to thereby adjust a numerical aperture of a radiation angle at the end of the mixer rod 15 to a numerical aperture of the fibers 37 of the optical fiber 5.

Advantageously, the polygonal, in particular tapered mixer rod 15 is connected between the light source 23 and the light guide 5. Advantageously, a deflection of the first central beam direction 7 in the second central beam direction 9, so that the mixing device 13 is more compact builds. Nevertheless, a good mixing of the light 3 advantageously takes place, so that the individual color components of the red-green-blue light-emitting diode 41 in the form of the mixed light 3 can be coupled into the individual fibers 37 of the light guide 5. Thus, a homogeneous mixed color and a uniform light intensity over the total area of the decoupling surface 45 are available at the end face or decoupling surface 45 of the mixer rod 15. This means advantageous that in each fiber 37 of the light guide 5 the same amount of light and the same color light is coupled. By the use of geometric shapes, in particular the octagonal shape shown in Fig. 5, which advantageously allow a plurality of total reflections 1 with a certain dispersion, there is a good mixing of the color components of the red-green-blue light emitting diode 41, ie the individual diodes the light source 23. The particular provided Taperform, which is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the mixer rod 15 advantageously brings a high coupling efficiency by adjusting the numerical aperture. Furthermore, an adaptation to the round cross-section of the light guide 5 is possible, in particular a sleeve which surrounds the fibers 37 of the light guide 5, according to polygonal, in particular octagonal is executed. Alternatively or additionally, instead of the light source 23, a decoupling optical fiber 5 may be provided, wherein the advantages described above can also be achieved on the basis of the mixer rod 15.

Due to the interconnection of the red-green-blue light emitting diode with the mixer rod 15, which is designed in particular tapered, and the bundle of fibers 37 having optical fiber 5, it is advantageously possible, the light-emitting fabric 31 in an interior of the motor vehicle, in particular on side panels, the side wall of the seat 33, a roof and / or in similar locations, and thereby provide a switchable, evenly lit, colored and / or white ambient lighting with a high efficiency. The in particular polygonal cross section of the mixer rod 15 is advantageous because it is very good and without great losses of a circular Lichtleiterbün- θ del of the light guide 5 can be adjusted.

Alternatively or additionally, it is conceivable to equip doors and / or dashboard surfaces with such ambient lighting.

In summary, the particular tapered, in particular polygonal, mixing rod 15 is connected between the multicolor light source 23 and the optical fiber bundle of the light guide 5. The light coupling of the light 3 into the mixer rod 15 takes place via the integrated into the mixer rod 15, in particular obliquely arranged mirror 17. Advantageously, a homogeneous mixture coupled single color components of the light 3 and a uniform occurrence of light intensity at the Auskoppelungsfläche 45 of the mixer rod 15th

Although the invention has been illustrated and explained in detail by preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples

and other variations can be deduced therefrom by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. It is therefore clear that a multitude of possible variations exists. It is also to be understood that exemplified embodiments are really only examples that are not in any way intended to limit such scope, uses, or uses

Configuration of the invention are to be construed. Rather, the foregoing description and description of the figures enable one skilled in the art to practice the exemplary embodiments, and those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the disclosed inventive concept, can make various changes, for example, to the function or arrangement of individual elements recited in an exemplary embodiment, without Scope of protection by the claims and their legal equivalents, such as

Explanation in the description, is defined.

Claims

claims

A method of mixing and coupling light (3) into a light guide (5), comprising:

Emitting the light (3) with a first central beam direction (7), redirecting the light (3) and thereby changing the first center beam direction (7) into a second center beam direction (9),

Mixing the deflected and the second mean beam direction (9) having light (3) by means of a plurality of total reflections (11).

2. Method according to the preceding claim, comprising:

Coupling the light (3) into a mixing device (13) before mixing, mixing the injected light (3) within the mixing device (13).

3. Method according to the preceding claim, comprising:

Generating the second central beam direction (9) after coupling in, mixing the light (3) having the second mean beam direction (9) within the mixing device (13).

4. Method according to the preceding claim, comprising:

Producing the second central beam direction (9) by means of a deflection device (25), which is arranged obliquely to a longitudinal axis (19) of the mixing device (13).

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 1-2, comprising:

Generating the second mean beam direction (9) before coupling.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 2-5, comprising:

Generating the second mean beam direction (9) at least partially by means of a Umlenktotalreflexion (21) within the mixing device (13).

7. mixing device (13) for mixing and coupling light (3) in a light guide

(5), with:

a light source (23) for emitting the light (3) with a first central beam direction (7),

a deflection device (25) for deflecting the light (3) and thereby changing the first central beam direction (7) into a second center beam direction (9),

a mixing rod (15) for mixing the deflected and the second mean beam direction (9) having light (3) by means of a plurality of total reflections (11).

8. Mixing device according to the preceding claim 7, wherein the mixer rod (15) has an integrated and obliquely to a longitudinal axis (19) of the mixer rod (15) arranged mirror (17) for deflecting the light (3).

9. Mixing device according to one of the preceding two claims 7 or 8, wherein the mixer rod (15) is tapered.

10. Motor vehicle (1) with a mixing device (13) according to one of the preceding claims 7 to 9 and / or set up, constructed, designed and / or equipped with software for carrying out a method according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 6.