WO2020245523A1

WO2020245523A1 - Signalling light comprising two cantilevered light guides

Info

Publication number: WO2020245523A1
Application number: PCT/FR2020/050866
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rodolphe Peron; Stephane Simandre
Original assignee: Psa Automobiles Sa
Priority date: 2019-06-04
Filing date: 2020-05-25
Publication date: 2020-12-10
Also published as: FR3097026A1; CN113924443A; EP3980683A1; FR3097026B1

Abstract

The signalling light (2) comprises two flat light guides (4A, 4B). Each light guide comprises a fastening lug which extends between a proximal end (32A, 32B) and a distal end (34A, 34B), the proximal end (32A, 32B) being located near an input face (14A, 14B) of the light guide and connected to a first large face (10A, 10B), the distal end (34A, 34B) of the fastening lug being attached to a base (24) of a support (6). The fastening lugs hold the light guides at the bottom of the support (6) so that the second large faces (12A, 12B) of the light guides are opposite and parallel to each other so as to provide an aesthetic and original visual effect.

Description

Title of the invention: Traffic light with two cantilevered light guides.

The present invention relates to a signaling light for a motor vehicle and in particular, a signaling light intended to equip an optical unit for a motor vehicle.

[0002] For safety reasons, regulations require motor vehicles to be equipped with lighting and signaling devices. These devices are usually grouped together in optical units in order to facilitate their mounting on motor vehicles. An optical unit usually includes a position light, a daytime running light, a signal light and, optionally, a reversing light when the optical unit is intended to be mounted in the rear of a vehicle. In order to protect the fires from the external environment, the optical unit is closed by a protective glass (or glass). The glass is transparent so as not to modify the properties of the light beams emitted by the lights. The lights are thus visible from outside the optical unit through the glass. However, the shape and arrangement of the lights inside the optical unit significantly change the appearance of the motor vehicle.

[0003] A greater variety of shape and arrangement of lights has been achieved through the use of light emitting diodes and light guides. More discreet and more aesthetic lights have thus been designed, as illustrated by document FR 3 046 579. Over time, the position as well as the shape of the lights in an optical unit have become major elements of differentiation of motor vehicles.

[0004] The present invention aims to provide a signal light, intended to be integrated into an optical unit of a motor vehicle, offering an aesthetic and original visual effect.

[0005] To this end, the invention first relates to a signaling light for a motor vehicle, comprising two light guides of the flat type, each light guide comprising a first large face parallel to a second large face, the large faces extending between an entry face facing a light source and an exit face emitting at least part of the light rays generated by the light source, characterized in that each light guide has an attachment tab extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the attachment tab is located near the face entry point of the light guide and bonded to its first large face, the distal end of the bracket is attached to a bottom of a holder, and the brackets hold the light guides to the bottom of the holder so that the second large faces of the light guides are facing each other and parallel to each other.

[0006] According to one characteristic, the fixing lugs comprise a bent portion between their proximal end and their distal end.

[0007] According to another characteristic, the proximal ends of the fixing lugs extend normally or substantially normally to the first large faces.

[0008] According to another characteristic, the distal ends of the fixing lugs extend parallel or substantially parallel to the first large faces.

[0009] According to another characteristic, the distal ends of the fixing lugs pass through the bottom of the support, and in that the distal ends have a stop bearing against the bottom of the support in order to prevent their unintentional removal.

[0010] According to another characteristic, the stops are retractable so as to facilitate their insertion through the bottom of the support.

[001 1] According to another characteristic, the proximal ends of the fixing lugs comprise at least one appendage bearing against the bottom of the support.

[0012] According to another characteristic, the bottom of the support comprises at least one conical stud inserted in a passage passing through a distal end of a fixing lug.

[0013] According to another characteristic, at least one light guide comprises a retaining tab extending along a lateral face, in the direction of its entry face, and in that the retaining lug is present in a groove formed in a side wall of the support and has a distal part extending behind the side wall. A second object of the invention is an optical unit for a motor vehicle comprising a housing, the peripheral edge of which supports an external window, the housing containing a signal light as described above.

[0015] Other advantages and characteristics will emerge more clearly from the description which follows.

[0016] The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the drawings in which:

[0017] [Fig. 1] Figure 1 shows a front and perspective view of a traffic light according to the invention;

[0018] [Fig. 2] Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section of the traffic light illustrated in Figure 1;

[0019] [Fig. 3] FIG. 3 represents a front and perspective view of a support for the traffic light illustrated in FIG. 1;

[0020] [Fig. 4] Figure 4 shows a side view in perspective of two light guides of the traffic light illustrated in Figure 1;

[0021] [Fig. 5] Figure 5 shows a side perspective view of a first light guide of the traffic light shown in Figure 1;

[0022] [Fig. 6] Figure 6 shows a side view in perspective of the traffic light illustrated in Figure 1;

[0023] [Fig. 7] Figure 7 shows a side perspective view of a second light guide of the traffic light shown in Figure 1;

[0024] [Fig. 8] Figure 8 shows a front view of an optical unit comprising a traffic light shown in Figure 1.

In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0026] As a reminder, the invention provides a signal light, intended to be integrated into an optical unit of a motor vehicle, offering an aesthetic and original visual effect.

Figure 1 shows a non-limiting embodiment of a traffic light 2 according to the invention. The signal light 2 comprises a first light guide 4A and a second light guide 4B, respectively held by means of a fixing bracket 8A and a fixing bracket 8B to a support 6. As illustrated by figure 2, each light guide comprises a first large face 10A, 10B, parallel to a second large face 12A, 12B. The large faces are spaced apart by a distance of between 5 mm and 10 mm, corresponding to the thickness of the guides. The large faces extend between an input face 14A, 14B, facing a light source 16, and an output face 18A, 18B emitting at least part of the light rays generated by the source. from light. The smallest distance, between an exit face and an entrance face of the same light guide, is between 80 mm and 220 mm, preferably between 120 mm and 160 mm. According to the present example, the exit faces 18A and 18B of the light guides comprise several facets 20, in particular visible in FIG. 1, in order to promote a greater dispersion angle of the emitted light.

Referring to Figure 2, its light guides 4A and 4B are held to the support 6 by means of fixing lugs 8A and 8B, so that their input face 14A and 14B are facing -light source screw 16.

As illustrated in Figure 3, the light source 16 is supported by an electronic card 22 (or PCB for "Printed Circuit Board"), held against a bottom 24 of the support 6 by means not shown, like a lug cooperating by screwing or snapping with a complementary means present on the bottom 24 of the support. Several light emitting diodes 26 are arranged on the electronic board 22 so as to illuminate the input faces 14A and 14B of the light guides 4A and 4B. In order to increase the amount of light rays propagating in the light guides 4A and 4B, the input faces 14A and 14B have optical diopters 28A and 28B visible in Figure 4, facing each light emitting diode 26.

Figure 5 shows an isolated view of the first light guide 4A. The fixing tab 8A of the lumen guide comprises a proximal end 32A, connected to a distal end 34A by means of a bent portion 36A. The proximal end 32A is located near the entrance face 14A of the first light guide 4A. The smallest distance between the entry face 14A and the proximal end 32A of the fixing tab is between 5 mm and 10 mm. The proximal end 32A is linked or connected to the first large face 10A of the light guide according to known means. The proximal end 32A extends to the bent portion 36A, in a normal direction or substantially normal to the first large face 10A. The smallest distance between the bent portion 36A and the entry face 14A is between 5 mm and 10 mm. According to the present example, the bent portion 36A forms an angle so that the distal end 34A extends in a direction parallel or substantially parallel to the first large face 10A, and has an end 40A protruding from the entry face 14A of the light guide. The smallest distance between the bent portion 36A and the end 40A is between 30 mm and 50 mm. The distal end 34A of the fixing tab 8A has a stop 42A. The stop 42A projects from the fixing tab so as to abut the bottom 24 of the support, when the distal end 34A is inserted into an opening 44A made through the bottom 24. In order to facilitate the passage of the stopper through opening 44A, the stopper is configured to be flush with the surface of distal end 34A when a user exerts pressure thereon. In other words, the means making it possible to attach the fixing tab 8A to the support are offset with respect to the first light guide 4A, in a normal direction and a direction orthogonal to its first large face 10A. As illustrated by FIG. 4, the fixing lug 8A comprises appendages 46A configured to bear against the bottom 24 of the support 6, when the stop 42A also bears against the bottom 24. Advantageously, at least one appendage 46A ′ is configured to bear against the electronic card 22, when the stop 42A bears against the bottom 24, in order to ensure better maintenance of the electronic card against the bottom 24. Advantageously, the appendages 46A and 46A 'make it possible to limit the bending stresses at the level of the curved part 36A of the fixing lug 8A. The proximal end 32A is crossed by a passage 48A, intended to receive part of a conical stud 50A present on the bottom 24 of the support 6 (see Figures 3 and 1). The conical pad 50A, cooperating with the passage 48A, serves as a guide to facilitate the positioning of the first light guide 4A at the level of the bottom 24 of the support 6. The first light guide 4A also comprises retaining tabs 52A visible in the figure. 5, extending along a side face 54A. The retaining tabs 52A extend toward the entry face 14A of the first light guide so as to form "L" shaped tabs. Advantageously, the retaining tabs 52A are configured to fit into grooves 56A formed in a wall. side 58 of the support, visible in FIG. 6, and slide in said grooves until the stop 42A of the fixing lug bears against the bottom of the support 6. The distal parts 60A of the retaining lugs 52A are then present against the side wall 58, and allow better retention of the first light guide 4A to the support 6, so as to limit a phenomenon of vibrations at its outlet face 18A. Preferably, the first light guide 4A, the fixing tab 8A and the retaining tabs 52A form a single molded part, made from polycarbonate (PC) and / or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

The fixing tab 8B of the second light guide 4B also comprises a proximal end 32B visible in Figure 2, connected to a distal end 34B by means of a bent portion 36B. The proximal end 32B is located near the entrance face 14B of the second light guide 4B. The smallest distance between the entry face 14B and the proximal end 32B of the fixing tab is between 5 mm and 10 mm. The proximal end 32B extends to the bent portion 36B of the fixing tab, in a direction normal or substantially normal to the first large face 10A of the second light guide 4B. The smallest distance between the angled portion 36B and the entry face 14B of the light guide is between 20 mm and 30 mm. The proximal end 32B is linked or connected to the first large face 10B of the light guide according to known means. The proximal end 32B extends to the bent portion 36B, in a direction normal or substantially normal to the first large face 10B. The smallest distance between the bent portion 36B and the entry face 14B is between 20 mm and 30 mm. According to the present example, the bent portion 36B forms an angle so that the distal end 34B extends in a direction parallel or substantially parallel to the first large face 10B, and has an end 40B protruding from the entry face 14B of the light guide, as illustrated in Figure 7. The smallest distance between the angled portion 36B and the end 40B is between 20 mm and 50 mm. The distal end 34B of the fixing tab 8B has a stop 42B. The stop 42B projects from the fixing tab so as to abut the bottom 24 of the support, when the distal end 34B is inserted into an opening 44A made through the bottom 24. In order to facilitate the passage of the stopper through opening 44B, the stop is configured to flush with the surface of distal end 34B when a user exerts pressure thereon. In other words, the means making it possible to attach the fixing tab 8B to the support are offset with respect to the second light guide 4B, in a normal direction and a direction orthogonal to its first large face 10A. The fixing lug 8B also includes appendages 46B at its proximal end 32B visible in FIG. 4. The appendages 46B are configured to bear against the bottom 24 of the support 6 when the stop 42B bears against the bottom 24. The second light guide 4B also comprises an appendage 46B 'at its entry face 14, extending along its second large face 12A, so as to bear against the bottom 24 of the support 6, as illustrated by FIG. 2. Advantageously, the appendages 46B and 46B 'make it possible to limit the bending stresses at the level of the bent portion 36B of the fixing lug 8B. The proximal end 32B is also crossed by a passage 44B visible in FIG. 2, intended to receive part of a conical stud 48B present on the bottom 24 of the support (see FIGS. 3 and 1). The conical pad 48B, cooperating with the passage 44B, serves as a guide, to facilitate the positioning of the second light guide 4B at the level of the bottom 24 of the support 6. The second light guide 4B also comprises retaining tabs 52B visible in FIG. 7, extending along a side face 54B. The retaining tabs 52B extend in the direction of the entry face 14B of the second light guide, so as to form "L" shaped tabs. Advantageously, the retaining tabs 52B are configured to fit into grooves 56 formed in a side wall 58 of the support, visible in FIG. 6, and to slide in said grooves until the stop 42B of the tab fixing is supported against the bottom of the support 6. The distal parts 60B of the retaining tabs 52B are then present against the side wall 58, and allow better retention of the second light guide 4B to the support 6, so as to limit a phenomenon vibrations at its outlet face 18B.

The openings 44A, 44B and the grooves 56A, 56B mentioned above, are formed in the support 6 to respectively cooperate with the fixing lugs 8A, 8B and the retaining lugs 52A, 52B. This cooperation advantageously makes it possible to keep the light guides cantilevered to the support 6, so that the second large faces 12 of the light guides face each other and their entry face 14 is illuminated by the light source 16. Preferably, the smallest distance between the second large faces 12A and 12B of the light guides is between 5 mm and 10 mm.

Advantageously, the fixing lugs 8A and 8B are positioned farthest from the output faces 18A and 18B of the light guides, and the retaining lugs 52A, 52B are concealed between the light guides and the side wall 58 of the support 6. As a result, the means for maintaining the light guides to the support 6, in this case the fixing and holding tabs, are not visible to an observer looking at the output faces 18A and 18B of the light guides. By thus concealing the holding means, an observer of the traffic light 2 according to the invention has the visual impression that the light guides 4A and 4B are suspended in a vacuum or in levitation. The invention thus offers an original visual effect as illustrated by FIG. 8, showing an optical unit 62 for a motor vehicle, comprising a signaling light 2 according to the invention, present in a housing 64 closed by an external glass 66 taking resting on a peripheral edge 68 of the housing.

Claims

[Claim 1] Traffic light (2) for a motor vehicle, comprising two flat-type light guides (4A, 4B), each light guide having a first large face (10A, 10B) parallel to a second large face (12A) , 12B), the large faces extending between an input face (14A, 14B) facing a light source (16) and an output face (18A, 18B) emitting at least one part of the light rays generated by the light source (16), characterized in that each light guide has a fixing tab (8A, 8B) extending between a proximal end (32A, 32B) and a distal end (34A , 34B), the proximal end (32A, 32B) of the fixing tab is located near the entry face (14A, 14B) of the light guide and linked to its first large face (10A, 10B), the distal end (34A, 34B) of the bracket is attached to a bottom (24) of a bracket (6), and the brackets hold the light guides to the bottom of the bracket port (6) so that the second large faces (12A, 12B) of the light guides are vis-à-vis and parallel to each other.

[Claim 2] Signaling light (2) according to claim 1,

characterized in that the fixing tabs (8A, 8B) have a bent portion (36A, 36B) between their proximal end (32A, 32B) and their distal end (34A, 34B).

[Claim 3] Signaling light (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the proximal ends (32A, 32B) of the fixing lugs extend normally or substantially normally to the first large faces (10A, 10B).

[Claim 4] Signaling light (2) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the distal ends (34A, 34B) of the fixing lugs extend parallel or substantially parallel to the first large faces (10A, 10B).

[Claim 5] Signaling light (2) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the distal ends (34A, 34B) of the fixing lugs pass through the bottom (24) of the support (6), and in that the distal ends have a stop (42A, 42B) bearing against the bottom (24) of the support (6) in order to prevent their withdrawal in such a way

involuntary.

[Claim 6] Signaling light (2) according to claim 5,

characterized in that the stops (42A, 42B) are retractable so as to facilitate their insertion through the bottom (24) of the support (6).

[Claim 7] Signaling light (2) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the proximal ends (32A, 32B) of the fixing lugs comprise at least one appendage (46A, 46B) bearing against the bottom (24) of the support (6).

[Claim 8] Signaling light (2) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the bottom (24) of the support (6) comprises at least one conical stud (50A, 50B), inserted in a passage (48A, 48B) extending through a distal end (34A, 34B) of a bracket (30A, 8B).

[Claim 9] Signaling light (2) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that at least one light guide (4A, 4B) comprises a retaining tab (52A, 52B) extending the along a lateral face (54A, 54B), in the direction of its entry face (14A, 14B), and in that the retaining tab (52A, 52B) is present in a groove (56) formed in a side wall (58) of the support (6) and has a distal part

(60A, 60B) extending behind the side wall (58).

[Claim 10] Optical unit (62) for a motor vehicle comprising a housing (64), a peripheral edge (68) of which supports an outer glass (66), characterized in that the housing (64) contains a signal light (2) according to one of claims 1 to 9.