Annular light guide

Abstract

The invention provides an annular light guide which comprises an annular reflection area and an annular light-emitting area, the annular light-emitting area and the annular reflection area are sequentially and coaxially connected in the axial direction of the annular light guide, light guide teeth are distributed on the side, away from the annular light-emitting area, of the annular reflection area, and the inner ring of the annular light-emitting area is provided with a reflection face. The outer ring of the annular light-emitting area is provided with a light-emitting face, light emitted by a light source enters the annular reflecting area, the light is reflected in the annular reflecting area, part of the light is reflected to the reflecting face through the light guide teeth, and the reflecting face reflects the light to the light-emitting face and emits the light from the light-emitting face. The light emitting direction can be changed, light emitting is uniform, and mold stripping is easy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of vehicle-mounted lighting, and in particular to an annular light guide, and in particular to an annular light guide with variable light emitting direction. Background Art

[0002] At present, the car cup holder or other annular luminous atmosphere lights use annular light guides for lighting. The scheme is as follows Figure 1 As shown, in the existing light guide structure, the light of LED 10 enters the interior of the annular light guide 30 through the light guide light inlet position 20, and is lit by designing light guide teeth 40 in the inner ring of the annular light guide, which can form an outer ring light effect after lighting. However, there are three defects in this scheme: (1) Since the light guide teeth are in the inner ring of the annular light guide, it is not easy to demold the mold; (2) Bright spots will be formed at the sudden intersection 50 of the light guide, resulting in uneven lighting effect; (3) Since the light guide teeth will be directly reflected on the light emitting surface, there will be tooth marks on the light emitting surface after lighting, resulting in poor illumination effect.

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a new technical solution. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to solve the technical problems existing in the prior art, the present invention discloses an annular light guide, which can realize the variable light emission direction, uniform light emission and easy mold release. The specific technical solution is as follows:

[0005] The present invention provides an annular light guide, which comprises an annular reflection area and an annular light emitting area. Along the axial direction of the annular light guide, the annular light emitting area and the annular reflection area are coaxially connected in sequence. The light guide teeth are distributed on one side of the annular reflection area away from the annular light emitting area.

[0006] The inner ring of the annular light-emitting area has a reflective surface, and the outer ring of the annular light-emitting area has a light-emitting surface.

[0007] The light emitted by the light source enters the annular reflection area, is reflected in the annular reflection area and partially reflected to the reflection surface by the light guide teeth, and the reflection surface reflects the light to the light emitting surface and emits it from the light emitting surface.

[0008] Furthermore, the side of the annular reflection area away from the annular light-emitting area is a reflection plane.

[0009] The light guide teeth are tooth grooves formed by being recessed inward from the reflection plane, or the light guide teeth are convex teeth formed by being protruded outward from the reflection plane.

[0010] The light guide teeth are distributed in a circular array on the reflection plane.

[0011] Furthermore, the light guide teeth are spherical and / or prismatic in shape.

[0012] Furthermore, it also includes a groove, which is circumferentially arranged along the outer ring of the annular light guide or the inner ring of the annular light guide, and the groove is located between the annular reflection area and the annular light-emitting area, and the groove has a bottom surface, a first plane and a second plane opposite to and parallel to the first plane, the second plane is parallel to the reflection plane, and in the annular reflection area, part of the light reflected by the light guide teeth passes through the second plane and the first plane in turn to enter the annular light-emitting area and illuminate the reflection surface, and is reflected by the reflection surface to the light-emitting surface.

[0013] Furthermore, the reflective surface is opposite to the light emitting surface, and an angle between the reflective surface and the light emitting surface is an acute angle.

[0014] Furthermore, the outer ring of the annular reflection area is connected to a plurality of light introducing ends, and along the circumferential direction of the outer ring of the annular reflection area, the light introducing ends are tangentially connected to the outer ring of the annular reflection area.

[0015] Furthermore, the plurality of light guide ends are distributed in a clockwise or counterclockwise manner on the outer circle of the annular reflection area.

[0016] Furthermore, each light-introducing end corresponds to an LED light source.

[0017] Furthermore, the annular reflective area and the annular luminous area are an integrated structure.

[0018] Furthermore, the reflective surface has patterns, and the luminous surface has leather grain.

[0019] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0020] (1) In the annular light guide of the present invention, the LED light enters the annular light guide from the light guide end, and the light is continuously reflected in the total reflection area. The light is reflected to the reflection surface by the light guide teeth, and then reflected to the light-emitting surface by the reflection surface, thereby lighting up the light-emitting surface.

[0021] (2) The annular light guide of the present invention has a groove composed of two parallel surfaces, which divide the light guide into two parts, the lower part is a total reflection area, which is mainly used for light propagation, and the upper part is a light-emitting area, which mainly changes the direction of light through the reflection surface, thereby realizing the variable light output direction.

[0022] (3) The angle of the reflecting surface of the annular light guide of the present invention is not fixed and can be adjusted according to the actual needs of the luminous surface; patterns can be added to the reflecting surface to further diffuse the light and optimize the bright spot defects of the product; leather texture can also be added to the luminous surface to optimize the uniformity of the light; all the light guide teeth are distributed on the same plane, which is conducive to the feasibility of mold demolding.

[0023] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description and in part will be obvious from the following description, or will be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0025] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of an annular light guide in the prior art;

[0026] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an annular light guide according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A rear view schematic diagram of

[0028] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A-direction cross-sectional view;

[0029] Figure 5 For the present invention Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the light path;

[0030] Figure 6 is a schematic structural diagram of an annular light guide according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 7 FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a ring-shaped light guide according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Among them, 1-annular reflection area, 2-annular light-emitting area, 3-light guide end, 4-light source, 5-groove, 11-reflection plane, 12-light guide tooth, 121-spherical tooth groove, 21-reflection surface, 211-pattern, 22-light-emitting surface, 51-bottom surface, 52-first plane, 53-second plane, 122-prismatic tooth groove. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0034] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are 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, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In the description of the present invention, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0035] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, fixed connection, detachable connection, or integrated; mechanical connection, or electrical connection; direct connection, or indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or internal connection between two elements or interaction between 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.

[0036] See also Figures 2 to 7 , Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an annular light guide according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 for Figure 2 A rear view schematic diagram of Figure 4 for Figure 3 A-direction cross-sectional view; Figure 5 For the present invention Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the light path; Figure 6 is a schematic structural diagram of an annular light guide according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a ring-shaped light guide according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] like Figures 2 to 5 As shown, the present invention provides an annular light guide, which includes an annular reflection area 1, an annular light emitting area 2, a light guide end 3, a groove 5 and a light source 4.

[0038] The annular light emitting area 2 and the annular reflective area 1 are respectively coaxial with the annular light guide, and along the axial direction of the annular light guide, the annular light emitting area 2 and the annular reflective area 1 are sequentially connected from top to bottom or from left to right. Preferably, the annular reflective area 2 and the annular light emitting area 1 are an integrated structure.

[0039] Light guide teeth 12 are distributed on one side of the annular reflective area 1 away from the annular luminous area 2. The inner circle of the annular luminous area 2 has a reflective surface 21, and the outer circle of the annular luminous area has a luminous surface 22.

[0040] Furthermore, the side of the annular reflection area 1 away from the annular light-emitting area 2 is a reflection plane 11, and the light guide teeth 12 are evenly distributed on the reflection plane 11. Figure 3 and Figure 4 , the optical waveguide teeth 12 are tooth grooves formed by being recessed inward from the reflecting plane 11, and the optical waveguide teeth are distributed in a circular array on the reflecting plane. In this embodiment, the shape of the tooth groove is spherical, and the spherical tooth groove 121 is at least one circle in a circular array on the reflecting plane 11. In other embodiments, the shape of the tooth groove may be prismatic or other shapes. In other embodiments, the optical waveguide teeth are convex teeth (not shown) formed by convexing outward from the reflecting plane, and the shape of the convex teeth may be spherical, prismatic or other shapes. The optical waveguide teeth of the present invention are all distributed in the same plane, and the optical waveguide teeth are located on the outside of the annular optical waveguide. Compared with the prior art in which the optical waveguide teeth are arranged on the inner ring of the optical waveguide, the present invention is conducive to the feasibility of mold demolding, improves the production efficiency and yield of the product, can be mass-produced, and reduces production costs.

[0041] Please continue reading Figure 2 and Figure 3 , multiple light introduction ends 3 are connected to the outer ring of the annular reflection area 1, and along the circumferential direction of the outer ring of the annular reflection area 1, the light introduction ends are tangentially connected to the outer ring of the annular reflection area 1. Multiple light introduction ends 3 are distributed in the outer ring of the annular reflection area 1 in a clockwise or counterclockwise manner. Each light introduction end 3 corresponds to an LED light source. In the present invention, the light introduction end 3 and the annular reflection area 1 are located in the same plane. This arrangement makes the light at the intersection of the light introduction end 3 and the annular light guide enter the annular light-emitting area 2 after multiple reflections in the annular reflection area 1, and then the bright spot will be weakened after reflection by the reflection surface 21, which is conducive to improving the lighting uniformity. And the arrangement of the light introduction end of the present invention is more conducive to mold opening and easy demolding, which improves the yield of the product and reduces the production cost. In this embodiment, it is shown that there are two light introduction ends 3, the two light introduction ends 3 are arranged clockwise, and the two light introduction ends 3 are arranged in parallel and in opposite directions. In other embodiments, the number of light introduction ends can be set according to actual conditions. In other embodiments, a plurality of light introducing light ends are arranged at equal intervals in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, or some of the light introducing light ends are arranged clockwise and some of the light introducing light ends are arranged counterclockwise.

[0042] like Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the groove 5 is arranged along the outer circumference of the annular light guide, and the groove 5 is located between the annular reflection area 1 and the annular light emitting area 2. The groove 5 has a bottom surface 51, a first plane 52, and a second plane 53 opposite to and parallel to the first plane 52, and the second plane 53 is parallel to the reflection plane 11. In the present invention, the groove 5 is composed of two parallel planes, and the groove 5 divides the annular light guide into two parts, the lower part is the total reflection area, namely the annular reflection area 1, which is mainly used for light propagation, and the upper part is the light emitting area, namely the annular light emitting area 2, which mainly changes the direction of light through the reflection surface, thereby realizing the variable light output direction; and the present invention arranges the groove 5 along the outer ring of the annular light guide, which is more conducive to demoulding. In the present invention, the reflection plane 11, the second plane 53, the first plane 52 and the reflection surface 21 are arranged in sequence from bottom to top, the reflection surface 21 is opposite to the light emitting surface 22, and the angle α between the reflection surface 21 and the light emitting surface 22 is an acute angle. By changing the angle between the reflective surface 21 and the light emitting surface 22, and / or changing the area of ​​the reflective surface 21, the angle of light reflected from the reflective surface to the light emitting surface and the amount of light are changed to adjust the light emitting brightness effect of the light emitting surface. In the present invention, the angle between the reflective surface 21 and the light emitting surface 22 is not fixed, and can be adjusted according to the actual light emitting surface requirements to change the light emitting direction. In other embodiments, the groove can also be arranged along the inner circumference of the annular light guide.

[0043] Figure 5 The dotted line in FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the direction of part of the light reflected by the light guide teeth. Figures 2 to 5 As shown, the light emitted by the LED light source 4 enters the annular reflection area 1 from the light guide light end 3. After the light is continuously reflected in the annular reflection area 1, part of the light is reflected to the second plane 53 by the light guide tooth 12 and enters the groove 5 through the second plane 53. The light entering the groove 5 enters the annular light-emitting area 2 through the first plane 52 and irradiates the reflection surface 21. The reflection surface 21 then reflects the light to the light-emitting surface 22 and emits it from the light-emitting surface 22. In the present invention, part of the light reflected by the light guide tooth 12 first passes through the groove 5 and then enters the annular light-emitting area 2 to reach the reflection surface 21. On the one hand, the propagation path of the light can be changed multiple times by the groove and the propagation energy of the light can be weakened, thereby weakening the tooth mark of the light guide tooth; on the other hand, the angle of the light reflected from the light guide tooth to the reflection surface can be adjusted by two refractions of the groove plane, so that the reflection surface can collect more light with a better reflection angle, and then the light is roughly vertically reflected to the light-emitting surface by the reflection surface, thereby realizing the lighting of the light-emitting surface and improving the light-emitting effect of the light-emitting surface. Moreover, in the present invention, the light is reflected twice by the light-guiding teeth and the reflecting surface, which is beneficial to weakening the tooth marks. After the light-emitting surface is lit, no tooth marks will be left, thereby improving the illumination effect.

[0044] See also Figure 6 ,Should Figure 6In the embodiment shown, the tooth groove is prismatic in shape, and the length of the prismatic tooth groove 122 is consistent with the width of the reflection plane 11, and the length of the prismatic tooth groove 122 is consistent with the radial direction of the other side of the annular reflection area 1. In other embodiments, the shape of the tooth groove includes but is not limited to spherical and prismatic.

[0045] See also Figure 7 In this embodiment, the reflective surface 21 has a pattern. In the present invention, the reflective surface 21 can be provided with a pattern 211 to further diffuse the light, optimize the bright spot defects of the product, and improve the uniformity of the light.

[0046] In another embodiment, skin texture may be added to the light emitting surface to optimize the uniformity of light.

[0047] The annular light guide of the present invention has its light guide teeth all distributed in the same plane, which is beneficial to the feasibility of the mold; the light at the intersection of the light incident end and the light guide of the present invention will have its bright spot weakened after being reflected by the reflecting surface, which is beneficial to improving the lighting uniformity; in the present invention, the light is reflected twice by the light guide teeth and the reflecting surface, which is beneficial to weakening the tooth marks.

[0048] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example" or "some examples" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine different embodiments or examples described in this specification.

[0049] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is to be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and are not to be construed as limitations of the present invention. A person skilled in the art may change, modify and vary the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A ring light guide, characterized in that: It comprises an annular reflection area (1) and an annular light emitting area (2). Along the axial direction of the annular light guide, the annular light emitting area (2) and the annular reflection area (1) are coaxially connected in sequence, and light guide teeth (12) are distributed on a side of the annular reflection area (1) away from the annular light emitting area (2). The inner ring of the annular light-emitting area has a reflective surface (21), and the outer ring of the annular light-emitting area has a light-emitting surface (22). Light emitted by the light source (4) enters the annular reflection area (1), is reflected in the annular reflection area (1), and a portion of the light is reflected to the reflection surface (21) through the light guide teeth (12), and the reflection surface (21) reflects the light to the light-emitting surface (22) and emits the light from the light-emitting surface (22).

2. The annular light guide according to claim 1, characterized in that A side of the annular reflection area away from the annular light-emitting area is a reflection plane (11), The light guide teeth (12) are tooth grooves formed by being recessed inward from the reflection plane (11), or the light guide teeth (12) are convex teeth formed by being protruded outward from the reflection plane (11), The light guide teeth are distributed in a circular array on the reflection plane (11).

3. The annular light guide according to claim 2, characterized in that: The light guide tooth (12) is spherical and / or prism-shaped.

4. The annular light guide according to claim 2, characterized in that: The invention also comprises a groove (5), wherein the groove (5) is arranged along the outer ring of the annular light guide or the inner ring of the annular light guide in the circumferential direction, and the groove (5) is located between the annular reflection area (1) and the annular light emitting area (2), and the groove (5) has a bottom surface (51), a first plane (52), and a second plane (53) opposite to and parallel to the first plane, and the second plane (53) is parallel to the reflection plane (11). In the annular reflection area (1), part of the light reflected by the light guide teeth passes through the second plane and the first plane in sequence, enters the annular light emitting area, and is irradiated onto the reflection surface (21), and is reflected onto the light emitting surface (22) by the reflection surface.

5. The annular light guide according to claim 1, characterized in that: The reflective surface (21) is opposite to the luminous surface (22), and the angle between the reflective surface (21) and the luminous surface (22) is an acute angle.

6. The annular light guide according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer ring of the annular reflection area is connected to a plurality of light introducing ends (3); along the circumferential direction of the outer ring of the annular reflection area (1), the light introducing ends (3) are tangentially connected to the outer ring of the annular reflection area (1).

7. The annular light guide according to claim 6, characterized in that The plurality of light introduction ends (3) are distributed in a clockwise or counterclockwise manner on the outer circle of the annular reflection area (1).

8. The annular light guide according to claim 6, characterized in that: Each light-introducing end corresponds to an LED light source.

9. The annular light guide according to claim 1, characterized in that: The annular reflection area (1) and the annular light-emitting area (2) are an integrated structure.

10. The annular light guide according to claim 1, characterized in that: The reflective surface (21) has a pattern (211), and the luminous surface has leather texture.

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