WO2021032545A1

WO2021032545A1 - Light guide arrangement for vehicle for producing a drl or position light and a turn direction indicator

Info

Publication number: WO2021032545A1
Application number: PCT/EP2020/072544
Authority: WO
Inventors: Liangliang FEI; Zi YIN; Yajie LI; kai SHI; Qiang Hu; Xiaodong Li
Original assignee: Valeo Vision
Priority date: 2019-08-16
Filing date: 2020-08-11
Publication date: 2021-02-25
Also published as: CN211780840U

Abstract

A problem to be solved by an embodiment of the present invention is making the required thickness of a vehicle lamp smaller. An aspect of the present invention discloses a first light guide, an optical structure, and a corresponding vehicle lamp and vehicle. The first light guide comprises one or more first light-guiding structures, the first light-guiding structure comprising a first reflecting part, a second reflecting part, a first light incident part, and a light exit face, wherein incident light that has come in through the first light incident part first reaches the first reflecting part, and after being reflected by the first reflecting part and the second reflecting part, exits from the light exit face. According to an embodiment of the present invention, after being reflected twice, incident light from a light incident part exits from a required light exit face. The light incident part may be located at the bottom of or on a side of the light-guiding structure, thus improving the flexibility of the structure.

Description

LIGHT GUIDE ARRANGEMENT FOR VEHICLE FOR PRODUCING A DRL OR

POSITION LIGHT AND A TURN DIRECTION INDICATOR TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of optical technology, in particular to a first light guide, an optical structure, and a corresponding vehicle lamp and vehicle.

BACKGROUND

In order to save space while having a better external appearance and shape, many vehicles require the lamps mounted on them to occupy smaller and smaller spaces; especially, a new trend towards the use of slender vehicle lamps in certain models has become fashion. However, this means that the light guide used must have a sufficiently small thickness in order to achieve the required effect. How to meet the appearance requirements for vehicle lamps and the functional requirements for vehicle lamps at the same time has laid down further requirements for the design and manufacture of vehicle lamps and light guides.

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

In view of this, a problem to be solved by an embodiment of the present invention is making the required thickness of a vehicle lamp smaller.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a first light guide is disclosed, the first light guide comprising one or more first light-guiding structures, the light-guiding structure comprising a first reflecting part, a second reflecting part, a first light incident part, and a light exit face, wherein incident light that has come in through the first light incident part first reaches the first reflecting part, and after being reflected by the first and second reflecting part, exits from the light exit face.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, after being reflected twice, incident light from the light incident part exits from a required light exit face. The light incident part can be located at a bottom of or on a side of the light-guiding structure, thus improving the flexibility of the structure.

In the first light guide according to the present invention, the first reflecting part comprises a right square pyramid, the axis of the right square pyramid being perpendicular to a plane on which the first light incident part is located.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, by a pyramid reflecting face, incident light is reflected in the directions corresponding to the lateral faces of the pyramid. Compared with the reflecting structure adopted in the prior art, the pyramid reflecting structure occupies a smaller space, makes it possible to achieve a thinner light guide design.

In the first light guide according to the present invention, all the four lateral faces of the right square pyramid are reflecting faces.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, by the pyramid reflecting face, incident light is reflected in four predetermined directions, respectively.

In the first light guide according to the present invention, one lateral face of the right square pyramid is opposite to the light exit face, and the other lateral faces are opposite to at least one reflecting face of the second reflecting part. According to an embodiment of the present invention, by a pyramid reflecting face, incident light is reflected in four predetermined directions.

In the first light guide according to the present invention, the first light incident part is a first collimator. Incident light collimated by the first collimator forms an angle of 45° with the reflecting face of the first reflecting part, and a light beam incident on the second reflecting part forms an angle of 45° with the reflecting face of the second reflecting part.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an exit angle of incident light is better controlled by adopting an angle of 45°.

In the first light guide according to the present invention, the edge of the first reflecting part is consistent with a light exit range of the first collimator.

According to the solution of the present invention, the edge of the first reflecting part is adjusted according to the light exit range, which can better match the range of incident light, thus reducing unnecessary reflecting regions.

In the first light guide according to the present invention, after incident light from the first light incident part is reflected by the first reflecting part, a part of the light beam is reflected to the light exit face to form a first exit light, and the remaining part of the light beam is reflected to the second reflecting part, and forms a second exit light after being reflected by the second reflecting part. The first exit light is parallel to the second exit light.

According to the solution of the present invention, by the first and second reflecting part, parallel exit light is finally obtained, which improves the light energy efficiency.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an optical structure is further provided, wherein the optical structure comprises the first light guide.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the optical structure includes a first light incident layer, a second light incident layer, and a light exit surface, wherein the first light incident layer and the second light incident layer are adjacent to each other up and down; the light exit surface is shared by the first light incident layer and the second light incident layer; and at least one of the first light incident layer and the second light incident layer is implemented by the first light guide.

According to the solution of the present invention, by adopting the solution of being adjacent to each other up and down, the originally spaced light sources can become adjacent to each other up and down, thereby reducing the laterally spaced dark areas of the light exit surface.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first light incident layer is used to implement day running lamp and/or position indicator lamp, and the second light incident layer is used to implement turn indicator lamp.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first light incident layer is used to implement turn indicator lamp, and the second light incident layer is used to implement day running lamp and/or position indicator lamp.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the case where one of the first light incident layer and the second light incident layer is implemented by the first light guide, another one of the first light incident layer and the second light incident layer is implemented by a second light guide, wherein the second light guide includes one or more second light-guiding structures, the second light-guiding structure comprising a third reflecting part, a fourth reflecting part and a second light incident part.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, thickness of the first light guide is smaller than thickness of the second light guide.

According to the solution of the present invention, the thickness of the first light guide is smaller, such that when it is used to implement the first light incident layer or the second light incident layer, the overall thickness of the two layers, which are superimposed up and down, will also be smaller, making them be more adaptable to long and narrow shapes.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle lamp is further provided, wherein the vehicle lamp comprises the optical structure.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle is further provided, wherein the vehicle comprises the vehicle lamp.

Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages. The design of superimposing the first light incident layer and the second light incident layer up and down can effectively eliminate the laterally spaced dark areas of the light exit surface, and can obtain more even lighting effect. The design of the first light-guiding structure can effectively reduce the overall thickness of the optical structure, making it be capable of meeting stricter thickness requirements. While meeting the needs of styling, it ensures light exit quality and improves light exit efficiency.

Other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious through perusal of a detailed description of the non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings below:

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an optical structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic bottom view of a three-dimensional structure with a first light guide according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a schematic top view of a three-dimensional structure with a first light guide according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 4a is a schematic view of a three-dimensional structure with a first reflecting part according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 4b is a schematic bottom view of a three-dimensional structure with a first reflecting part according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 4c is a schematic isometric view of a three-dimensional structure with a first reflecting part according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of an optical structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a top view of an optical structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 7 is a side view of an optical structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a schematic perspective bottom view of an optical structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 9 is a schematic perspective top view of an optical structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of a light path of a light beam from the first light incident part to the first reflecting part according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 11 is a schematic diagram of a light path of a light beam from the first reflecting part to the second reflecting part according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 12a is a schematic bottom view of a three-dimensional structure with a second light guide according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 12b is a schematic top view of a three-dimensional structure with a second light guide according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig.13 is a schematic diagram of the light guide structure in the prior art;

Fig.14 is a schematic diagram of the lighting effect of the light guide structure corresponding to Fig.13; and

Fig.15 is a schematic diagram of the lighting effect of the optical structure corresponding to Fig.1 .

Reference lists

001 First light guide

100 First light-guiding structure

110 First reflecting part 120 Second reflecting part 130 First light incident part

111 Rectangular pyramid

1101 Lateral face of pyramid

1102 Edge of pyramid 002 Second light guide

200 Second light-guiding structure 210 Third reflecting part 220 Fourth reflecting part 230 Second light incident part 300 Light exit face 130' First collimator

The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present invention may be implemented in various forms, and should not be limited by the embodiments set forth herein. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided to make the present invention more thorough and complete, and to fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art.

In the prior art, in order to save space, the same set of optical components is often used to realize the functions of Day Running Lamp (DRL), Position Indicator lamp (PL) and Turning Indicator (Tl). The Day Running Lamp and Position Indicator Lamp need to use different light sources from the Turn Indicator. Therefore, they are usually set at intervals. However, in this way, spaced dark areas often appear when lighting, which affects the overall visual effect.

Referring to Fig, 13, it is a schematic diagram of the light guide in the prior art. According to the light guide shown in Fig, 13, the light sources used to implement DRL and PL, and the light sources used to implement Tl are set alternately. Fig, 14 is a schematic diagram of the lighting effect of the light guide corresponding to Fig.13, it can be seen that there are obvious spaced dark areas in Fig.14. An embodiment of the present invention discloses a first light guide 001 , an optical structure, and a corresponding vehicle lamp and vehicle.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the optical structure at least includes the first light guide 001 .

Referring to Fig.1 , 5~9, according to an embodiment of the present invention, an optical structure is provided, wherein the optical structure includes a first light incident layer L1 , a second light incident layer L2, and a light exit surface 300, wherein the first light incident layer L1 and the second light incident layer L2 is adjacent to each other up and down; wherein, the first light incident layer L1 and the second light incident layer L2 share the light exit surface 300.

Specifically, the first light incident layer L1 is used to provide light entrances for DRL and PL, and the second light incident layer L2 provides light entrances for Tl; or, the second light incident layer L2 is used to provide light entrances for DRL and PL, and the first light incident layer L1 provides light entrances for Tl.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first light incident layer L1 can be implemented by the first light guide 001 or a second light guide 002.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the second light incident layer L2 can be implemented by the first light guide 001 or a second light guide 002.

Preferably, the first light incident layer L1 is implemented by the first light guide 001 , and the second light incident layer L2 is implemented by the second light guide 002. More preferably, both the first light incident layer L1 and the second light incident layer L2 are implemented by the first light guide 001 .

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first light incident layer L1 is used to implement the DRL and/or PL function by adopting the first light guide 001 , and the second light incident layer L2 is used to implement the Tl function by adopting the second light guide 002,

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first light incident layer L1 is used to implement the DRL and/or PL function by adopting the first light guide 001 , and the second light incident layer L2 is used to implement the Tl function also by adopting the first light guide 001 ,

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of the first light guide 001 is smaller than that of the second light guide 002.

Continue to explain this invention.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle lamp according to the present invention is a signal indicator vehicle lamp, such as a turn indicator lamp, high mounted stop lamp or a position indicator lamp.

An optical structure according to the present invention comprises at least the first light guide 001 . The first light guide 001 according to the present invention comprises one or more first light-guiding structures 100. The first light-guiding structure 100 comprises a first reflecting part 110, a second reflecting part 120, and a first light incident part 130. The first light guide further comprises a light exit face 300.

Incident light incident through the first light incident part 130 first reaches the first reflecting part 110, and exits from the light exit face 300 after being reflected by the first reflecting part 110 and the second reflecting part 120.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, refer to Figs. 1 to 3, the first reflecting part 110 of the first light-guiding structure 100 comprises a right square pyramid 111 . An axis CC of the right square pyramid 111 is perpendicular to a plane on which the first light incident part 130 is located.

Preferably, all the four lateral faces of the right square pyramid 111 are the reflecting faces.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the edge of the first reflecting part 110 is consistent with a light exit range of the first collimator 130'.

Specifically, the first reflecting part 110 comprises a complete structure of a right square pyramid 111 ; alternatively, the first reflecting part 110 comprises the right square pyramid 111. The edge 1102 of the right square pyramid 111 is consistent with the light exit range of the first light incident part 130.

In other words, when the light exit range of the first light incident part 130 is circular, the edge 1102 of the right square pyramid 111 is a circular edge of the same size; when the light exit range of the first light incident part 130 is square, the edge 1102 of the right square pyramid 111 is a square edge of the same size and so on. Refer to Figs. 4a, 4b, and 4c, the first reflection portion 110 corresponding to a first light incident part 130 with a circular light exit range is illustrated. At its front end are the four lateral faces 1101 of the right square pyramid 111 , and at its bottom is a circular edge 1102.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, one pyramid lateral face 1101 of the right square pyramid 111 is opposite to the light exit face 300, and the other pyramid lateral face 1101 is opposite to at least one reflecting face of the second reflecting part 120.

More preferably, the first light incident part 130 is a first collimator 130'. Incident light collimated by the first collimator 130' forms an angle of 45° with a reflecting face of the first reflecting part 110, and a light beam incident on the second reflecting part 120 forms an angle of 45° with a reflecting face of the second reflecting part 120.

More preferably, after incident light from the first light incident part 130 is reflected by the first reflecting part 110, a part of the light beam is reflected to the light exit face 300 to form a first exit light, and the remaining part of the light beam is reflected to the second reflecting part 120. A second exit light is formed after being reflected by the second reflecting part 120. The first exit light is parallel to the second exit light.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, refer to Figs. 10 and 11 , the first light incident part 130 is a first collimator 130', and the first reflecting part 110 is a right square pyramid 111. After being collimated by the first collimator 130', a light beam from a light source forms a parallel incident light beam with a circular cross-section. The light beam is parallel to a central axis CC of the right square pyramid 111. In other words, the incident light forms an angle of 45° with a pyramidal lateral face 1101 of the right square pyramid 111.

Then, in combination with Fig. 11 , after the incident light is reflected by the first reflecting part 110, four parallel light beams reflected in four directions are formed. The light beam directly exiting from the first reflecting part 110 to the light exit face 300 is a first exit light. The light beams in the other directions, which exit from the light exit face 300 after being reflected by the second reflecting part 120 one or more times, are the second exit light.

The reflecting face of the second reflecting part 120 forms an angle of 45° with the light beam from the first reflecting part 110, and an angle of 90° is formed between the adjacent reflecting faces of the second reflecting part 120. Therefore, the finally formed second exit light is parallel to the first exit light.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the second light guide 002 comprises one or more second light-guiding structure 200, the second light-guiding structure 200 include a third reflecting part 210, a fourth reflecting part 220 and a second light incident part 230.

Refer to Figs.12a and 12b, the third reflecting part 210 of the second light-guiding structure 200 comprises a taper that has at least one curved face, and the fourth reflecting part 220 is a curved reflecting face corresponding to the third reflecting part 210.

Refer to FIG. 15, which illustrates a schematic diagram of the lighting effect of the optical structure corresponding to Fig.1 . It can be seen that, by adopting the way that the upper and lower light incident layers are adjacent to each other, the spaced dark areas can be effectively reduced, so that it has a better lighting effect. Further, the overall thickness of the optical structure can be reduced by using the first light-guiding structure 100, so that it can meet the stricter thickness requirements. For example, refer to Fig. 1 , it can be seen that the second light-guiding structure 200 at least needs a thickness of about 4 mm to achieve its function, while the first light-guiding structure 100 can have a thickness of about 3 mm, thereby saving about 1 mm of thickness. If the first light-guiding structure is completely used in the optical structure to realize the required lamp function, the thickness space of about 2 mm can be saved. This makes it possible to meet stricter styling requirements while meeting the functional requirement for a vehicle lamp itself, guaranteeing light exit quality and improving light exit efficiency.

It should be noted that although in the above-mentioned embodiments, an optical structure using the first light guide 001 is described with reference to Figs. 1 and 5-9, those skilled in the art can understand that the application of the first light guide 001 is not limited to this, it can also be applied to any other suitable optical structure.

It is obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the above-described exemplary embodiment, and can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or basic characteristic of the present invention. Therefore, no matter from which point of view, the embodiments should be regarded as exemplary and non-limiting. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the above description. Therefore, it is intended that all changes falling within the meaning and scope of equivalent elements of the claims are included in the present invention. Any reference signs in the claims should be regarded as limiting the claims involved. In addition, it is obvious that the word “comprise” does not exclude other units or steps, and the singular does not exclude the plural. Multiple units or devices presented in system claims can also be implemented by one unit or device through software or hardware. Words such as first and second are used to denote names, and do not denote any specific order.

Claims

1. A first light guide (001 ), wherein the first light guide (001 ) comprises one or more first light-guiding structures (100), which comprises a first reflecting part (110), a second reflecting part (120), a first light incident part (130), and a light exit face (300), wherein incident light incident through the first light incident part (130) first reaches the first reflecting part (110), and exits from the light exit face (300) after being reflected by the first reflecting part (110) and the second reflecting part (120),.

2. The first light guide (001 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first reflecting part (110) comprises a right square pyramid (111 ), and an axis of the right square pyramid (111 ) is perpendicular to a plane on which the first light incident part (130) is located.

3. The first light guide (001 ) as claimed in claim 2, wherein all the four lateral faces of the right square pyramid (111 ) are reflecting faces.

4. The first light guide (001 ) as claimed in claim 3, wherein one lateral face (1101 ) of the right square pyramid (111 ) is opposite to the light exit face (300), and the other lateral faces are opposite to at least one reflecting face of the second reflecting part (120).

5. The first light guide (001 ) as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the first light incident part (130) is a first collimator (130'), wherein incident light collimated by the first collimator (130') forms an angle of 45° with the reflecting face of the first reflecting part (110), and a light beam incident on the second reflecting part (120) forms an angle of 45° with the reflecting face of the second reflecting part (120).

6. The first light guide (001 ) as claimed in claim 5, wherein an edge the first reflecting part (110) is consistent with a light exit range of the first collimator (130').

7. The first light guide (001 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein after incident light from the first light incident part (130) is reflected by the first reflecting part (110), a part of the light beam is reflected to the light exit face (300) to form a first exit light, and the remaining part of the light beam is reflected to the second reflecting part (120) and forms a second exit light after being reflected by the second reflecting part (120), wherein the first exit light is parallel to the second exit light.

8. An optical structure, wherein the optical structure comprises the first light guide (001 ) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The optical structure as claimed in claim 8, the optical structure includes a first light incident layer (L1 ), a second light incident layer (L2), and a light exit surface (300), wherein: the first light incident layer (L1 ) and the second light incident layer (L2) are adjacent to each other up and down; the light exit surface (300) is shared by the first light incident layer (L1 ) and the second light incident layer (L2); and at least one of the first light incident layer (L1 ) and the second light incident layer (L2) is implemented by the first light guide (001 ).

10. The optical structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first light incident layer (L1 ) is used to implement day running lamp and/or position indicator lamp, and the second light incident layer (L2) is used to implement turn indicator lamp.

11. The optical structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first light incident layer (L1 ) is used to implement turn indicator lamp, and the second light incident layer (L2) is used to implement day running lamp and/or position indicator lamp.

12. The optical structure as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11 , in case where one of the first light incident layer (L1 ) and the second light incident layer (L2) is implemented by the first light guide (001 ), another one of the first light incident layer (L1 ) and the second light incident layer (L2) is implemented by a second light guide (002) , wherein: the second light guide (002) includes one or more second light-guiding structures (200), the second light-guiding structure (200) comprising a third reflecting part (210), a fourth reflecting part (220) and a second light incident part (230).

13. The optical structure as claimed in claim 12, wherein a thickness of the first light guide (001 ) is smaller than a thickness of the second light guide (002).

14. A vehicle lamp, characterised in that the vehicle lamp comprises the optical structure as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 13.

15. A vehicle, characterised in that the vehicle comprises the vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 14.