Auxiliary lighting device applied to vehicle lamp and its usage method

Abstract

The present invention discloses an auxiliary lighting device applied to vehicle lamps and a using method thereof. The auxiliary lighting device includes: a circuit board provided with a control circuit; at least one light source mounted on the circuit board, the light source being connected to the control circuit, and the control circuit being used to control the turning on and off of the light source; a lens bracket located above the light source, and at least one cylindrical lens is mounted on the lens bracket, the cylindrical lenses corresponding to the light sources one by one, and each cylindrical lens is located directly above the corresponding light source; at least one light guide plate corresponding to the cylindrical lenses one by one, and each light guide plate is located directly above the corresponding cylindrical lens, and a three-dimensional pattern structure is arranged on the surface of the light guide plate. The structure of the present invention is simple, which can not only reduce the volume of the auxiliary lighting device and the generation of heat of the light source, but also improve the projection effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of automotive lighting, and particularly to an auxiliary lighting device applied to vehicle lamps and a using method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Automobiles have undergone many changes during their development process. One of the most fascinating fields in the development process is the innovation of automotive lighting. It is not only the "eyes" of a vehicle, but more often it will become a key factor determining the characteristics of a vehicle such as its character and recognition. Applying dynamic projection to vehicle lamps, enabling "it" to have the ability to speak, can not only promote the transformation of interactive vehicle lamps, but also improve driving safety.

[0003] The body display lighting of existing interactive vehicle lamps mostly adopts an LED array layout to achieve. The projected image is composed of multiple pixels, which has certain limitations on the clarity of the image. Pixel-based lamps such as DLP and ADB are more suitable for ground projection or long-distance projection; moreover, the LED array will also cause problems such as an increase in the volume and heat generation of the vehicle lamp. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is: In order to solve the technical problems of large volume and poor heat dissipation existing in the interactive vehicle lamps in the prior art, the present invention provides an auxiliary lighting device applied to vehicle lamps and a using method thereof, which can reduce the volume of the auxiliary lighting device, reduce heat generation, and also improve the projection effect.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problems is: An auxiliary lighting device applied to vehicle lamps, comprising: a circuit board, on which a control circuit is provided; at least one light source, the light source is installed on the circuit board, the light source is connected to the control circuit, and the control circuit is used to control the turning on and off of the light source; a lens bracket, the lens bracket is located above the light source, and at least one cylindrical lens is installed on the lens bracket, the cylindrical lens corresponds to the light source one by one, and each cylindrical lens is located directly above the corresponding light source; at least one light guide plate, the light guide plate corresponds to the cylindrical lens one by one, and each light guide plate is located directly above the corresponding cylindrical lens, and a three-dimensional pattern structure is arranged on the surface of the light guide plate. Thus, the cylindrical lens can converge the light emitted by the light source and then enter from the bottom of the light guide plate. After the light is reflected multiple times in the light guide plate, it can be emitted from the three-dimensional pattern structure to generate a projection image. The structure of the present invention is simple, which can reduce the volume of the auxiliary lighting device, reduce the heat generation of the light source, and improve the projection effect.

[0006] Further, the light-emitting angle of the light source is α, the maximum width of the three-dimensional pattern structure in the horizontal direction is the length of line segment L. Let the lines connecting the light-emitting point of the light source to the two endpoints of line segment L be connection line A and connection line B respectively, and the included angle formed by connection line A and connection line B is β, where α≥β. Thus, it can be ensured that every position of the three-dimensional pattern structure can be irradiated by light, so as to improve the projection effect and make the image clearer.

[0007] Further, the diameter of the light-emitting area of the light source is D, and D≤5mm. If the light-emitting area is too large, the projected three-dimensional image will appear blurred or double-imaged.

[0008] Further, the vertical distance between the light source and the straight line C where the lowest point of the three-dimensional pattern structure is located is H, and the distance H is at least half of the length of line segment L. Thus, most of the light emitted by the light source can be converged and then enter the light guide plate, so as to improve the projection effect.

[0009] Further, the range of the vertical viewing angle of the three-dimensional pattern structure is -10° to 10°.

[0010] Further, the surface of the lens holder is coated with a black light-absorbing material. Thus, the stray light emitted by the light source can be absorbed by the black light-absorbing material, reducing interference.

[0011] The present invention also provides a usage method of an auxiliary lighting device applied to vehicle headlights. Using the auxiliary lighting device applied to vehicle headlights as described above, the usage method includes the following steps:

[0012] Step S1: Power on the circuit board, and the control circuit on the circuit board controls the light source to turn on;

[0013] Step S2: The light emitted by the light source is focused by the cylindrical lens and then enters from the bottom surface of the light guide plate. After multiple reflections in the light guide plate, the light can be emitted from the three-dimensional pattern structure, generating a static or dynamic three-dimensional image effect.

[0014] Further, when there is one light guide plate and one light source, a static three-dimensional image effect is generated; when there are at least two light guide plates and at least two light sources, the three-dimensional pattern structures on each light guide plate are different, and the control circuit illuminates different three-dimensional pattern structures by turning on different light sources, thereby generating a dynamic three-dimensional image effect.

[0015] Further, the three-dimensional pattern structure is a surface nano-structure formed by attaching a resin material to the substrate of the light guide plate through nanoimprint lithography technology. The nano-structure can serve as a guiding surface to conduct light to a determined spatial direction, forming countless light rays or "light fields", and the human eye can see a three-dimensional image floating in the air, presenting a 3D effect.

[0016] Furthermore, the substrate is made of a transparent material. The transparent material can maximize the light entering the light guide plate and improve the contrast of the three-dimensional pattern structure.

[0017] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: through the mutual cooperation among the light source, the cylindrical lens, and the light guide plate bracket, as much light as possible emitted by the light source is converged to the bottom of the light guide plate and then enters the light guide plate. After reflection inside the light guide plate, the light can be emitted from the three-dimensional pattern structure, thereby realizing the projection of the three-dimensional pattern structure and enhancing the interaction between people and vehicles; when the emission angle of the light source is α≥β, the projection effect can be further improved; when the diameter D of the emission area of the light source is D≤5mm, the situation of image blurring or ghosting can be reduced, and the projection clarity can be further improved. The structure of the present invention is simple and easy to operate, which can reduce the volume of the auxiliary lighting device, reduce the heat generated by the light source, and extend the service life. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the drawings and embodiments.

[0019] Figure 1 FIG. is a schematic structural diagram of the auxiliary lighting device of the present invention applied to a vehicle headlight;

[0020] Figure 2 FIG. is a front view of the auxiliary lighting device of the present invention applied to a vehicle headlight;

[0021] Figure 3 FIG. is a side view of the auxiliary lighting device of the present invention applied to a vehicle headlight;

[0022] Figure 4 FIG. is a schematic diagram when different light guide plates of the present invention are illuminated;

[0023] Figure 5 FIG. is a flowchart of the usage method of the auxiliary lighting device of the present invention applied to a vehicle headlight.

[0024] In the figures: 1, circuit board; 2, light source; 3, lens bracket; 4, cylindrical lens; 5, light guide plate; 6, three-dimensional pattern structure; 51, substrate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0025] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the drawings. These drawings are all simplified schematic diagrams, only illustrating the basic structure of the present invention in a schematic manner, and therefore only showing the components related to the present invention.

[0026] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. It is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it should not be construed as a limitation to the present invention. In addition, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, the meaning of "a plurality" is two or more.

[0027] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and defined, the terms "mounted", "connected" and "coupled" shall be construed in a broad sense. For example, it may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection or an integral connection; it may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it may be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it may be the communication inside two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0028] As Figures 1 to 4 shown, it is a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The auxiliary lighting device applied to vehicle lamps includes: a circuit board 1, at least one light source 2, a lens bracket 3 and at least one light guide plate 5. The circuit board 1 is provided with a control circuit. The light source 2 is mounted on the circuit board 1. The light source 2 is connected to the control circuit. The control circuit is used to control the turning on and off of the light source 2. The lens bracket 3 is located above the light source 2, and at least one cylindrical lens 4 is mounted on the lens bracket 3. The cylindrical lenses 4 correspond to the light sources 2 one by one. Each cylindrical lens 4 is located directly above the corresponding light source 2. The light guide plates 5 correspond to the cylindrical lenses 4 one by one, and each light guide plate 5 is located directly above the corresponding cylindrical lens 4. A three-dimensional pattern structure 6 is provided on the surface of the light guide plate 5. The power supply of the vehicle lamp can supply power to the circuit board 1. The control circuit can adopt an existing control circuit, which can realize the on and off of the light source 2. The light guide plate 5 can be fixed on the vehicle lamp housing.

[0029] In other words, the quantities of the light source 2, the cylindrical lens 4, and the light guide plate 5 are equal. The light emitted by the light source 2 is converged by the cylindrical lens 4 and then enters the light guide plate 5. After multiple reflections within the light guide plate 5, the light can be emitted from the three-dimensional pattern structure 6. The three-dimensional pattern structure 6 is a nanostructure formed by attaching a resin material to the surface of the substrate 51 of the light guide plate 5 through nanoimprint lithography technology. The nanostructure can serve as a guiding surface to conduct the light to a determined spatial direction, thereby forming numerous light rays or "light fields", making the human eye see a three-dimensional image floating in the air. Since the three-dimensional pattern structure 6 on the surface of the light guide plate 5 itself has a three-dimensional sense (not a planar pattern), in order to prevent double images from appearing in the projected three-dimensional image, there can only be one light source 2 corresponding to the lower part of the light guide plate 5. If a row of light sources 2 is arranged below the light guide plate 5, the projected image effect will deteriorate. Through the mutual cooperation of the circuit board 1, the light source 2, the cylindrical lens 4, and the light guide plate 5, the present invention enables the three-dimensional pattern structure 6 to project in the air, improving the interactivity of the vehicle lamp. Moreover, only one light source 2 is required for each light guide plate 5, which can reduce the overall volume of the auxiliary lighting device. At the same time, it can also reduce the heat dissipated by the light source 2 and extend the service life of the auxiliary lighting device. <() <()

[0030] In this embodiment, the lens bracket 3 is provided with a card slot and a light-transmitting hole. The cylindrical lens 4 can be installed in the card slot, and the bottom of the cylindrical lens 4 is aligned with the light-transmitting hole. The light-transmitting hole corresponds to the position of the light source 2. In this way, the light emitted by the light source 2 can smoothly enter the cylindrical lens 4 for focusing. The lens bracket 3 can play a supporting role for the cylindrical lens 4. The surface of the lens bracket 3 is coated with a black light-absorbing material, such as spraying black light-absorbing paint on an acrylic material. This can absorb the stray light entering the lens bracket 3 and reduce interference. The cylindrical lens 4 can converge the light emitted by the light source 2 and diverging along the short side direction of the light guide plate 5 to the bottom of the light guide plate 5, enabling more light to enter the light guide plate 5 and improving the projection effect. The light guide plate 5 can be a plate-like structure with a certain thickness, and its thickness is not limited and can be selected according to the actual situation. <() <()

[0031] In this embodiment, the three-dimensional pattern structure 6 can be a person, a hand gesture, etc. The length and width of the three-dimensional pattern structure 6 are preferably 1 inch to 5 inches. If the size of the three-dimensional pattern structure 6 is too large or too small, the projected image will be blurred or doubled. The light emitting angle of the light source 2 is α, and the maximum horizontal width of the three-dimensional pattern structure 6 is the length of the line segment L. Let the lines connecting the light point of the light source 2 and the two end points of the line segment L be line A and line B respectively, and the angle formed by line A and line B is β, α≥β. In this way, it can be ensured that every position of the three-dimensional pattern structure 6 can be illuminated by light, improving the projection effect. The light source 2 can be, for example, an LED, and can be monochromatic or white light. When the light source 2 is white light, the three-dimensional pattern structure 6 will project a color image. The diameter of the light emitting area of the light source 2 is D, D≤5mm. In this way, the divergence of the light emitted by the light source 2 is at an optimal projection angle to achieve the best projection effect. If the light emitting area is too large, the light emitted by the light source 2 is too divergent, causing the projected three-dimensional image to be blurred or doubled.

[0032] In this embodiment, the vertical distance between the light source 2 and the straight line C at the lowest point of the three-dimensional pattern structure 6 is H, and the distance H is at least half the length of the line segment L. In this way, most or even all of the light emitted by the light source 2 can enter the light guide plate 5, thereby achieving a better projection effect. The cylindrical lens 4 is a converging device for the light source 2. The cylindrical lens 4 focuses the light emitted by the light source 2 to be incident directly below the light guide plate 5, thereby realizing the projection of the three-dimensional pattern structure 6. The number of light guide plates 5 can be one or more. When there is only one light guide plate 5, a static projection effect is produced. When there are multiple light guide plates 5, the three-dimensional pattern structure 6 on each light guide plate 5 is different, and the multiple three-dimensional pattern structures 6 can form a continuous dynamic image. For example, there are three light guides 5, with a gap between two adjacent light guides 5, the three-dimensional pattern structure 6 is a person, and the movements of the three people in the three-dimensional pattern structures 6 can just be connected into a running movement. When in use, the control circuit turns on the three light sources 2 in sequence to light up the three light guides 5 in sequence, so that the projected three-dimensional image can present a dynamic effect of continuous frames, just like a little man running all the time. In this embodiment, the vertical viewing angle range of the three-dimensional pattern structure 6 is -10° to 10°, within which the user can see the best three-dimensional image effect. The viewing angle refers to the angle at which the user can clearly observe the projected content from different directions. Taking the horizontal normal parallel to the projected image as the reference, the angle range in which the image can still be seen normally above or below the horizontal normal is the vertical viewing angle. If the vertical viewing angle is too small, the projected image will not be visible or cannot be seen clearly.

[0033] The auxiliary lighting device of the present invention has a smaller volume, is thinner and lighter, generates less heat, and projects a clearer image compared with the prior art LED array arranged pixel imaging method (pixel imaging is limited by pixel points and the number of pixels, and the clarity cannot be very high).

[0034] As Figure 5 shown, the present invention also provides a method for using an auxiliary lighting device applied to vehicle lights. Using the auxiliary lighting device applied to vehicle lights as described above, the method for using includes the following steps:

[0035] Step S1: Power on the circuit board 1, and the control circuit on the circuit board 1 controls the light source 2 to turn on. Step S2: The light emitted by the light source 2 is focused by the cylindrical lens 4 and enters from the bottom surface of the light guide plate 5. After multiple reflections in the light guide plate 5, the light can be emitted from the three-dimensional pattern structure 6, generating a static or dynamic three-dimensional image effect.

[0036] It should be noted that when both the light guide plate 5 and the light source 2 are one, a static three-dimensional image effect is generated. When there are at least two light guide plates 5 and light sources 2, the three-dimensional pattern structures 6 on each light guide plate 5 are different. The control circuit makes different three-dimensional pattern structures 6 be lit by turning on different light sources 2, thereby generating a dynamic three-dimensional image effect. When there are multiple light sources 2, the control circuit can independently control the turning on and off of each light source 2.

[0037] The three-dimensional pattern structure 6 is a nanostructure formed by attaching a resin material to the surface of the substrate 51 of the light guide plate 5 through nanoimprint lithography technology. The nanostructure can serve as a guiding surface to conduct light to a determined spatial direction, thereby forming countless light rays or "light fields", and what the human eye sees is a three-dimensional image floating in the air. The substrate 51 is made of a transparent material, such as plastic, glass, etc. By changing the color of the light source 2, the color of the projected three-dimensional image can be changed. Only when the light source 2 is lit, the three-dimensional pattern structure 6 on the light guide plate 5 will be irradiated to project a three-dimensional image. The types of the three-dimensional pattern structure 6 can be various. For example, it can be a figure gesture indicating welcome, a figure gesture indicating farewell, a figure gesture indicating friendliness, etc. Users can customize personalized three-dimensional pattern structures 6 according to their needs to enhance the interactivity of the vehicle.

[0038] In summary, through the mutual cooperation among the light source 2, the cylindrical lens 4, and the light guide plate 5 bracket, as much light as possible emitted by the light source 2 is converged to the bottom of the light guide plate 5 and then enters the light guide plate 5. After reflection in the light guide plate 5, the light can be emitted from the three-dimensional pattern structure 6, thereby realizing the projection of the three-dimensional pattern structure 6 and enhancing the interaction between people and vehicles. The luminous angle α≥β of the light source 2 can further improve the projection effect. The diameter D of the luminous area of the light source 2 is ≤5 mm, which can reduce image blurring or ghosting and further improve the projection clarity. The structure of the present invention is simple and easy to operate, can reduce the volume of the auxiliary lighting device, reduce the heat generated by the light source 2, and extend the service life.

[0039] Taking the above-described ideal embodiment of the present invention as an inspiration, through the above description, relevant workers can completely make various changes and modifications without departing from the technical idea of the present invention. The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the content in the specification, and its technical scope must be determined according to the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An auxiliary lighting device applied to vehicle lamps, characterized in that, Comprising: A circuit board (1), the circuit board (1) being provided with a control circuit; At least one light source (2), the light source (2) being mounted on the circuit board (1), the light source (2) being connected to the control circuit, and the control circuit being used to control the turning on and off of the light source (2); A lens holder (3), the lens holder (3) being located above the light source (2), and at least one cylindrical lens (4) being mounted on the lens holder (3), the cylindrical lens (4) corresponding to the light source (2) one by one, and each cylindrical lens (4) being located directly above the corresponding light source (2); At least one light guide plate (5), the light guide plate (5) corresponding to the cylindrical lens (4) one by one, and each light guide plate (5) being located directly above the corresponding cylindrical lens (4), and a three-dimensional pattern structure (6) being provided on the surface of the light guide plate (5); The light-emitting angle of the light source (2) is α, the maximum width of the three-dimensional pattern structure (6) in the horizontal direction is the length of a line segment L, and let the connection lines between the light-emitting point of the light source (2) and the two end points of the line segment L be connection line A and connection line B respectively, and the included angle formed by the connection line A and the connection line B is β, α≥β; The diameter of the light-emitting area of the light source (2) is D, D≤5mm; The vertical distance between the light source (2) and a straight line C where the lowest point of the three-dimensional pattern structure (6) is located is H, and the distance H is at least half of the length of the line segment L.

2. The auxiliary lighting device for vehicle lamps according to claim 1, characterized in that The vertical viewing angle range of the three-dimensional pattern structure (6) is -10° to 10°.

3. The auxiliary lighting device for vehicle lamps according to claim, characterized in that The surface of the lens holder (3) is coated with a black light-absorbing material.

4. A method of using an auxiliary lighting device applied to a vehicle lamp, characterized in that, When using the auxiliary lighting device for vehicle lamps according to any one of claims 1-3, the usage method comprises the following steps: Step S1, power on the circuit board (1), and the control circuit on the circuit board (1) controls the light source (2) to turn on; Step S2, the light emitted by the light source (2) is focused by the cylindrical lens (4) and then enters from the bottom surface of the light guide plate (5), and after multiple reflections of the light in the light guide plate (5), it can be emitted from the three-dimensional pattern structure (6) to produce a static or dynamic three-dimensional image effect.

5. The usage method of the auxiliary lighting device for vehicle lamps according to claim 4, characterized in that When both the light guide plate (5) and the light source (2) are one, a static three-dimensional image effect is produced; When there are at least two light guide plates (5) and light sources (2), the three-dimensional pattern structures (6) on each light guide plate (5) are different, and the control circuit lights different three-dimensional pattern structures (6) by turning on different light sources (2), thereby producing a dynamic three-dimensional image effect.

6. The usage method of the auxiliary lighting device for vehicle lamps according to claim 4, characterized in that The three-dimensional pattern structure (6) is a surface nano-structure formed by attaching a resin material to the substrate (51) of the light guide plate (5) through nanoimprint lithography technology.

7. The method of using the auxiliary lighting device applied to vehicle lights according to claim 6, characterized in that, The substrate (51) is made of a transparent material.

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