Lighting device for a vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a lighting device for a vehicle, having: an elongated light conductor comprising an end face and a side surface for input-coupling light into the light conductor, and the light energy is totally reflected on the side surface along the input-coupling direction; an elongated reflector which is arranged following the light conductor, and the reflector is at least partially arranged behind the light conductor along the main emission direction of the lighting device, the reflector comprises a reflector surface, and the reflector surface has a width extension dimension larger than that of the light conductor; the light conductor is configured such that light is output-coupled on the side surface facing the back side of the reflector and / or the lateral side surface and the side surface of the front face facing away from the reflector, the light conductor and the reflector respectively have angular regions, wherein a section of the light conductor and a section of the reflector form an acute angle or a right angle or an obtuse angle, the reflector has a non-reflecting section configured as a void section in the angular region of the reflector, and the light output-coupled from the light conductor towards the reflector on the non-reflecting section is not reflected along the main emission direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a lighting device for a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] A lighting device for a vehicle is known from DE 10 149 044 A1. The lighting device has an elongate light conductor, and light is input-coupled into the light conductor at the end side. The light conductor has a corner region, where two sections of the light conductor leading to the corner region form a relatively small angle or an acute angle. In order that no light exits on the outside of the corner region due to a steep angle of incidence (which would cause light to exit), the outside of the corner region has a scattering element. The scattering element causes the input-coupled light incident on the scattering element to be reflected back and thus remain within the light conductor.

[0003] A lighting device for a vehicle is known from DE 10 2013 016 764 A1. The lighting device has an elongate light conductor and an elongate reflector following the contour of the light conductor. The reflector is basically arranged behind the light conductor and has a width extension dimension larger than the width extension dimension of the light conductor. The reflector surface of the reflector reflects the light exiting on the back side surface and the lateral side surfaces of the light conductor along the main emission direction, so that a lamp row is generated along the main emission direction, and the lamp row is wider than the light conductor. The light conductor and the reflector have a corner region, in which the light flux is increased based on the light exiting from the light conductor towards the reflector. Here, the non-uniformity of the illumination distribution of the light conductor is caused by the generated light concentration in the corner region. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to further expand a lighting device including an elongate light conductor and an elongate reflector in such a way that an even illumination distribution along the longitudinal direction of the lighting device is ensured in a simple manner even if the light conductor and the reflector extend in an arcuate shape with a relatively small radius of curvature.

[0005] To solve the above object, the present invention has the features according to the present invention. A lighting device for a vehicle has:

[0006] - an elongate light conductor, including an end face for input-coupling light into the light conductor and including side surfaces, and the input-coupled light energy can be totally reflected on the side surfaces along the input-coupling direction,

[0007] - an elongate reflector, which is arranged following the light conductor, wherein the reflector is at least partially arranged behind the light conductor along the main emission direction of the lighting device, the reflector includes a reflector surface, and the reflector surface has a width extension dimension larger than that of the light conductor,

[0008] - The light conductor is configured such that the input-coupled light is output-coupled on the side surface of the light conductor facing the reflector on the back side and / or on the lateral side surface and / or on the side surface of the front facing away from the reflector.

[0009] The light conductor and the reflector each have a corner region in which the light conductor and the reflector are respectively bent at an acute angle or a right angle or an obtuse angle.

[0010] According to the invention, the reflector has a non-reflecting section configured as a void section in the corner region of the reflector, and the light output-coupled from the light conductor towards the reflector on the non-reflecting section is not reflected along the main emission direction. The light (scattered light) emitted from the associated light conductor on the non-reflecting section is not reflected along the main emission direction of the lighting device. Advantageously, no light concentration or increased illumination intensity occurs in the corner region. The lighting device thus has a uniform illumination distribution over its entire length. The reflector surface of the reflector is preferably smaller in the bent corner region of the reflector than in the straight section of the reflector.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the non-reflecting section in the corner region covers the end of the first section of the light conductor, the end of the second section of the light conductor, and the corner of the light conductor connecting the first section and the second section. The size and / or dimensions of the non-reflecting section are selected such that the illumination intensity in the corner region of the lighting device is substantially consistent with the illumination intensity of the adjacent first section and second section of the lighting device. The size and / or dimensions of the non-reflecting section of the reflector can also be related to the included angle of the corner region, for example.

[0012] According to a further development of the invention, the non-reflecting section is provided in the region of the reflector near the vertex. The non-reflecting section preferably extends on the side surface of the light conductor opposite to the main emission direction. This advantageously prevents the light emitted from the side surface on the back side of the light conductor from being reflected back by the reflector and thus causing an increase in the light flux.

[0013] According to a further development of the invention, the non-reflecting section is configured as a void section. Thus, the light output-coupled on the side surface on the back side of the light conductor passes through the reflector and is absorbed in the housing of the lighting device or wanders in the housing such that the light no longer exits the housing of the lighting device along the main emission direction. Advantageously, the void section can already be formed during the manufacture of the reflector (injection molding), so that no additional components or additional processes are required. The light conductor also does not need to be changed.

[0014] According to a further development of the invention, the side surface on the front side of the light conductor is arranged in the corner region of the light conductor in such a way that it is partially covered by the reflector. A part of the light output-coupled from the light conductor on the front side can thus not be emitted in the main emission direction / travel direction. The light flux emitted from the light conductor can thus be reduced in the corner region of the light conductor to such a light flux as is emitted from the straight section of the light conductor.

[0015] According to a further development of the invention, the gap of the reflector is configured in the corner region of the reflector in such a way that the edge of the reflector extends in front of the light conductor in the main emission direction. The reflector is arranged at least partially more bulbously (bauchig) in the corner region of the reflector than the straight section of the reflector. Preferably, the gap extends at least partially along the outer edge of the reflector, which outer edge extends in the region outside the arc of the reflector. The region inside the arc of the reflector preferably does not cover the light conductor. Advantageously, the mechanical stability of the reflector is ensured, since the region inside the arc of the reflector is provided with material or can be reinforced with material.

[0016] According to a further development of the invention, the reflector has a radius of curvature in the corner region of the reflector, which radius of curvature is greater than the radius of curvature of the light conductor in the corner region. The light conductor is arranged in the region outside the arc of the reflector in the corner region, wherein the light conductor is at least partially covered by the outer edge of the arc of the reflector.

[0017] According to a further development of the invention, the light conductor has an output-coupling element on the back side surface, which output-coupling element deflects the input-coupled light incident thereon in the main emission direction. Advantageously, the statutory minimum light intensity requirement can thus be met solely by the light conductor. The reflector is only used to support the uniformity of the emitted light and is not necessary for the light function.

[0018] According to a further development of the invention, the light conductor has an output-coupling device, so that the input-coupled light incident on the output-coupling device is deflected in the direction of the side surface on the front side of the light conductor. Advantageously, the emitted light flux can thus be better controlled or adjusted.

[0019] According to a further development of the invention, the light conductor does not have an output-coupling device in the corner region of the light conductor, while the light conductor has an output-coupling device in the region adjacent to the corner region. Advantageously, the light flux in the corner region can thus be reduced, so that the size of the non-reflecting section of the reflector can be reduced in order to ensure a uniform light distribution of the lighting device over the entire length of the lighting device. Description of the Drawings

[0020] An embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

[0021] Figure 1 shows a schematic front view of a lighting device according to the present invention,

[0022] Figure 2 shows a schematic rear view of a lighting device according to the present invention,

[0023] Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the lighting device according to the present invention in a straight section of the lighting device, and

[0024] Figure 4 shows a section along line IV-IV in Figure 1 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The lighting device for a vehicle is preferably used to generate a daytime light function or a position light function or a direction indicator light function. The lighting device is preferably installed in the front area of the vehicle.

[0026] The lighting device is arranged in a housing (not shown), and other lighting modules for generating low beam, high beam and similar lights are preferably arranged in the housing.

[0027] The lighting device according to the present invention has an elongated light guide 1 and an elongated reflector 2 following the extension of the light guide 1.

[0028] The light guide 1 has a straight first section 3 and a straight second section 4, wherein the first section 3 and the second section 4 converge in a corner area 5. The reflector 2 has a straight first section 6 and a straight second section 7, wherein the first section 6 and the second section 7 converge in a corner area 8. In the current embodiment, the first section 3 and the second section 4 of the light guide 1 and the first section 6 and the second section 7 of the reflector 2 are respectively at a right angle . In an alternative embodiment form (not shown) according to the present invention, the corresponding sections 3, 4 or 6, 7 can also be at an obtuse angle or an acute angle The light guide 1 and the reflector 2 are thus configured to be curved or have an arc along the longitudinal direction.

[0029] A light source 9 is respectively arranged at the first free end of the first section 3 of the photoconductor 1 and the second free end of the second section 4, and the light source is arranged on the end face 10 of the free ends of the first section 3 and the second section 4. The light source 9 can be configured as an LED light source, for example. The end face 10 preferably can have an input coupling optical device. The side surface 11 is connected to the end face 10 of the photoconductor 1, and the end face serves as a light input coupling surface. The light 12 input-coupled in the input coupling direction E on the end face 10 is totally reflected on the side surface and thus continues to be guided along the longitudinal extension direction of the photoconductor 1. Another part of the input-coupled light is output-coupled on the side surface 11 because the corresponding light beam is incident on the side surface 11 more steeply than the light beam totally reflected on the side surface 11. The incident angle of the light beam refracted on the side surface 11 is less than the critical angle of total reflection.

[0030] In the current embodiment, the photoconductor 1 is configured as circular in cross-section. The reflector 2 is configured as U-shaped in cross-section. The reflector 2 is arranged at a distance from the photoconductor 1. The flat surface of the reflector 2 facing the photoconductor 1 is configured as a reflector surface 13, and the light 12' output-coupled from the back side surface 11' of the photoconductor 1 and the light 12" output-coupled from the lateral side surface 11" are reflected along the main emission direction H of the lighting device on the reflector surface.

[0031] In the current embodiment, the reflector 2 extends from the long first side edge 14 to the long second side edge 15 with an opening angle α of 180°. If the reflector 2 only surrounds the photoconductor 1 with an acute angle or a right angle, only the light 12' output-coupled from the back side surface 11' can be reflected by the reflector 2. Alternatively, the opening angle α of the reflector 2 can also be an obtuse angle.

[0032] Since the reflector surface 13 is always arranged at a distance from the photoconductor 1 in the circumferential direction, the reflector 2 has a width extension dimension b L larger than the width extension dimension b of the photoconductor 1 R . By configuring the reflector surface 13 such that the incident light 12', 12" on the reflector surface is reflected along the main emission direction H, a lamp row 16 is generated by means of the lighting device. The lamp row is composed of a light share 16' emitted from the front side surface 11 of the photoconductor 1 on the one hand and a light share 16" radiated from the side of the reflector 2 beside the photoconductor 1 on the other hand. The width of the lamp row is equal to the width b of the reflector 2 R and is thus larger than the width b of the photoconductor 1 L .

[0033] In order to emit relatively uniform light 16 over the entire length of the lighting device, the light consists of a first light fraction 16' and 16", and the reflector 2 has a non-reflective section 17 in the corner region 8. If the reflector 2 has the same reflection characteristics in the corner region 8 as in the elongated sections 6, 7, increased light flux occurs during light input coupling in the corner region 8, which would result in undesirable light concentration or light non-uniformity.

[0034] As can be seen from Figure 2 the non-reflective section 17 in the corner region 8 covers the non-free end 18 of the first section 3 of the light guide 1, the non-free end 19 of the second section 4 of the light guide 1, and the corner 20 of the light guide 1 that connects the two ends 18, 19. In the present embodiment, the non-reflective section 17 is configured as a void or as a through-section.

[0035] The non-reflective section 17 is configured as a trapezoidal surface, which is configured as open in the present embodiment. According to an alternative embodiment form not shown, the non-reflective section 17 can be configured as a non-reflective, for example, dark surface. In this case, the entire front side of the reflector 2 is not uniformly provided with a reflective layer.

[0036] In the present embodiment, the lighting device 11 extends in an L-shape along the longitudinal direction, wherein the included angle in the corner region 8 extends in a plane perpendicular to the main emission direction H.

[0037] The non-reflective section 17 preferably includes the vertex region of the reflector 2. On the inner side 22 of the corner region 8, the reflector 2 extends continuously from the first section 6 to the second section 7 of the reflector 2. On the outer side 23 of the corner region 8, the reflector surface 13 of the reflector 2 also extends continuously from the first section 6 to the second section of the reflector 2, so as to ensure that the width of the lamp row in the corner region 5 of the lighting device is the same as the width in the straight sections 3, 4; 6, 7 of the lighting device. The first side edge 14 and the second side edge 15 of the reflector surface 13 of the reflector 2 thus extend continuously and without sudden direction changes. The void 17 thus has an uninterrupted opening edge 24, which is not interrupted. The opening edge 24 is preferably formed by the cut edge of the reflector 2.

[0038] The recess 17 of the reflector 2 is arranged in the area of ​​the outer side 23 of the corner region 8 or in the area of ​​the outer or curved outer edge 26 of the reflector 2, wherein the edge 27 of the reflector 2 remote from the vertex is arranged in front of the optical waveguide 1 or in front of the front side surface 11″ in the main emission direction H. As a result, the optical waveguide 1 is partially covered, so that it cannot emit such a large light flux on the front side surface 11″, which would be possible if it were not covered by the reflector 2. The inner or curved inner edge 28 of the reflector 2 is basically arranged next to the optical waveguide 1 when viewed in the main emission direction H and therefore does not cover the optical waveguide 1.

[0039] Preferably, the reflector 2 has a greater radius of curvature in the angular region 8 than the radius of curvature of the optical waveguide 1 in its angular region 3 .

[0040] According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, which is not shown, the lighting device may also have other shapes, such as a Z shape or a U shape or the like. It is essential that the reflector 2 has a non-reflective section 17 in the corner region of the lighting device that compensates for the increase in the light flux.

[0041] In the present embodiment of the lighting device, the optical waveguide 1 has an output coupling device or output coupling element 25 on the rear side surface 11 ′. When the input coupled light is incident on such an output coupling device 25, the light is deflected by the output coupling device 25 in the main emission direction H for light output coupling on the front side surface 11 ′″. The output coupling device 25 can be designed as a prismatic structure.

[0042] According to an alternative embodiment, the optical waveguide 1 has no coupling-out means in its angular region 5 , thereby reducing the coupling-out of light in the angular region 5 .

[0043] According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the lighting device may have a strip-shaped upstream optical element 29, which is arranged in the main emission direction H before the optical waveguide 1 and the reflector 2. Figure 3 , the pre-optical element 29 is shown by way of example in dashed lines. The pre-optical element 29 has a flat back side 30, which covers both the optical waveguide 1 and the reflector 2. For this purpose, the back side 30 abuts against the side edges 14, 15 of the reflector 2. The pre-optical element 29 has a front side 31 that is designed in a stepped shape. Since the pre-optical element 29 extends uninterruptedly over the entire length of the lighting device, in particular the angular regions 5, 7 of the optical waveguide 1 or the reflector 2 are covered.

Claims

1. Lighting device for a vehicle, said lighting device having: - an elongate light conductor (1), comprising an end face (10) for input-coupling light into the light conductor (1) and comprising a lateral surface (11), the input-coupled light energy being totally reflected on said lateral surface in the input-coupling direction (E), - an elongate reflector (2), said reflector following the light conductor (1), wherein, The reflector is arranged at least partially behind the light conductor (1) along the main emission direction (H) of the lighting device, and the reflector comprises a reflector surface (13), the reflector surface having a width extension dimension (b R ) which is larger than that of the light conductor (1). - the light conductor (1) is configured such that the input-coupled light is output-coupled on the lateral surface (11') on the back side of the light conductor (1) facing the reflector (2) and / or on the lateral lateral surface (11") and / or on the lateral surface (11''') on the front face of the light conductor (1) facing away from the reflector (2), The light conductor (1) and the reflector (2) each have a corner region in which the light conductor (1) and the reflector (2) are bent at an acute angle, a right angle or an obtuse angle respectively. arranged characterized in that the reflector (2) has in the corner region (8) thereof a non-reflecting section (17) configured as a void section, on which the light (12') output-coupled from the light conductor (1) in the direction towards the reflector (2) is not reflected along the main emission direction (H).

2. Lighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the non-reflecting section (17) in the corner region (8) covers, when projected onto a plane extending perpendicular to the main emission direction (H), the end of the first section (3) of the light conductor (1), the end of the second section (4) of the light conductor (1), and the corner (20) of the light conductor (1) connecting the first section (3) and the second section (4).

3. Lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the non-reflecting section (17) forms a trapezoidal face.

4. Lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the non-reflecting section (17) is provided at least in the region of the reflector (2) near the apex.

5. Lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lateral surface (11''') on the front face of the light conductor (1) is arranged in the corner region (5) of the light conductor such that it is partially covered by the reflector (2).

6. Lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the void section of the reflector (2) in the corner region (8) of the reflector is configured such that the edge of the reflector (2) along the main emission direction (H) extends in front of the light conductor (1).

7. Lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the outer edge of the reflector (2) has a void section in the corner region (8) of the reflector, wherein the outer edge along the main emission direction (H) is arranged in front of the lateral lateral surface (11") facing the outer edge and / or in front of a part of the lateral surface (11''') on the front face of the light conductor (1).

8. Lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The individual sections of the reflector (2) have a radius of curvature (r R ) in the corner regions (8) of the reflector, which radius of curvature is greater than the radius of curvature (r L ) formed by the individual sections of the light conductor (1) in the corner regions (5) of the light conductor.

9. Lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that An output coupling element (25) is provided on a side surface (11') on the back side of the light conductor (1), so that when the input-coupled light is incident on the output coupling element (25), the input-coupled light is deflected along the main emission direction (H) for light input coupling on a side surface (11''') in front of the light conductor (1).

10. The lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the light conductor (1) does not have an output coupling element (25) in the corner region (5) of the light conductor.

11. The lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the light conductor (1) is configured as circular or elliptical in cross-section.

12. The lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The angle of the angular region of the photoconductor (1) and the reflector (2). extends in a plane perpendicular to the main emission direction (H).

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