Headlight for a vehicle and adjustment method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a headlamp for a vehicle, having: a light source unit comprising a plurality of light sources and a lens assembly arranged at a predetermined distance from the light source unit for generating a predetermined light image; a circuit board on which the light source unit is electrically contacted; the holding device is used for holding the lens assembly on a main body fixedly connected with the circuit board, and a distance adjusting device is arranged and is provided with an adjusting element capable of reciprocating in the optical axis direction of the lens assembly, and the adjusting element acts on the light source unit and the circuit board; an actuator which can be operatively connected to the adjusting element in order to move the adjusting element; and a control device comprising control means for controlling the actuator such that the adjusting element moves in the direction of the optical axis with a stroke difference until the currently generated light image coincides with a predetermined light image. The invention further relates to a distance adjustment device and to a method for adjusting a predetermined light image of a headlamp.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a headlamp for a vehicle, the headlamp having a light source unit, the light source unit comprising a plurality of light sources and a lens assembly, the lens assembly being arranged at a predetermined distance from the light source unit for generating a predetermined light image; the headlamp having a circuit board, the light source unit being electrically contacted on the circuit board; and the headlamp having a retaining device for retaining the lens assembly on a body fixedly connected to the circuit board.

[0002] Furthermore, the invention relates to a distance adjustment device and a method for adjusting a predetermined light pattern according to the preamble of claim 14 . Background Art

[0003] DE 10 2020 114 767 A1 discloses a headlamp for a vehicle, which has a plurality of individually controllable light sources and a lens assembly for producing a predetermined light distribution. The light sources are arranged on a common circuit board. The lens assembly comprises a basic adjustment lens, which can be moved in the direction of the optical axis of the lens assembly by means of an actuator in order to adjust the light distribution for a desired scattering width or a predetermined light pattern. After the basic adjustment lens is fixed, the light pattern of the headlamp is determined. A disadvantage of the known headlamp is that the adjustment is relatively complex.

[0004] WO 2019 / 170 270A1 discloses a headlamp for a vehicle, which has a plurality of light sources and a lens assembly for generating a predetermined light distribution. The light sources are arranged on a circuit board. The lens assembly is fixed to a body fixedly connected to the circuit board by means of a retaining device. The lens assembly is arranged at a fixed distance from the light source. Summary of the invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a headlight for a vehicle, a distance control device and a method for adjusting a predetermined light pattern at low production costs, which allow for a subsequent basic adjustment possibility.

[0006] In order to solve this task, the present invention, in combination with the preamble of claim 1, is characterized in that a distance adjustment device is provided, which has: an adjusting element capable of reciprocating in the optical axis direction of the lens assembly, the adjusting element acting on the light source unit and the circuit board; an actuator, which can be operatively connected to the adjusting element so as to move the adjusting element; a control device, which includes a control device for controlling the actuator so that the adjusting element moves in the optical axis direction with a stroke difference until the currently generated light image is consistent with the predetermined light image.

[0007] A particular advantage of the headlamp according to the invention is that a simple optical focusing of the light source unit can be achieved by means of the distance adjustment device according to the invention. The distance from the light source unit to the lens assembly required for producing a predetermined light image or light distribution is simply achieved by means of a controllable reciprocating adjustment element, which acts not only on the light source unit but also on the circuit board to which the light source unit is electrically connected. The basic idea of ​​the invention is to change the distance from the light source to the circuit board afterwards, i.e. after the lens assembly and the light source unit are fixed in the housing of the lighting device, so that the light source unit is arranged at the distance from the lens assembly required for the predetermined light distribution. Advantageously, there is no need to adapt the lens assembly to the light source unit, which is relatively complicated in terms of the material-locked connection of the retaining part of the lens assembly.

[0008] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the adjustment element is configured as a spring element, the physical extension distance of which in the direction of the optical axis of the lens assembly can be changed. Advantageously, the distance between the light source unit and the lens assembly can be changed by applying a motion force acting on the spring element, so that a predetermined light field is generated. This does not require an inherently undesirable bonding process.

[0009] According to a further development of the invention, the spring element is a magnetizable spring element and the actuator is a magnetic field generator. The shape of the spring element or the extension of the spring element in the optical axis direction can be changed by means of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator.

[0010] According to an extension of the present invention, the magnetic field generator is configured as a current-carrying coil, the axis of which is oriented in the optical axis direction of the lens assembly. In this way, the maximum magnetic field strength is achieved in the optical axis direction, which achieves a change in the physical extension distance of the spring element in the optical axis direction in a simple manner. The current-carrying coil can be arranged on the side of the circuit board facing away from the light source unit without optical interference.

[0011] According to an extension of the present invention, the spring element is configured as a spacer ring, the ring axis of which extends perpendicularly to the optical axis and the axis of the magnetic field coil. In this way, the compression and extension of the spring element can achieve a change in the stroke difference of the light source unit relative to the lens assembly in a simple manner. In addition, the ferromagnetic material of the spring element can achieve the conduction of heat from the light source unit to the circuit board or the connected cooling body.

[0012] According to an extension of the invention, the electrical terminals of the light source unit are connected to the electrical terminals of the circuit board via electrical connections, in particular via wire connections. The light source unit is thus electrically connected or coupled to the circuit board, while the light source unit is mechanically coupled and / or connected to the spring element. The light source unit is thus always physically spaced apart from the circuit board.

[0013] According to an extension of the present invention, the light source unit is arranged in a planar manner on a spring element. On the one hand, the spring element can be arranged loosely at the point of action of the light source unit and the circuit board, and the elastic force of the spring element ensures that the spring element is clamped between the circuit board and the light source unit. Alternatively, the spring element can also be connected to the light source unit and the circuit board in a material-locked manner, so that no measures for fixing the light source unit are required.

[0014] According to a further development of the invention, the spring element is arranged in a spring-prestressed manner between the light source unit and the circuit board. Advantageously, the spring element can thereby be fixed in a clamped manner between the light source unit and the circuit board.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the invention, the light source unit has a plurality of individually controllable light sources in the form of a matrix, which light sources can be focused relative to the lens element by means of the same spring element.

[0016] In order to achieve the above object, a distance adjustment device is provided, which enables a simple basic adjustment of the headlamp, wherein an adjustment element is compressed or stretched by means of an actuator. Since the adjustment element is located between the light source unit and the circuit board, the light source unit can be focused relative to the lens assembly in a simple manner.

[0017] In order to achieve this object, the method according to the invention having the preamble of claim 14 is characterized in that the light source unit is moved relative to the circuit board until the currently generated light image corresponds to the predetermined light image and the adjusted distance between the light source unit and the circuit board is then fixed.

[0018] A particular advantage of the method according to the invention is that a simple basic adjustment of the headlamp can be achieved by moving the light source unit relative to the fixedly arranged lens assembly. Advantageously, at least one lens of the lens assembly can be fixed to a body, such as a housing of the lighting device, for example, by means of a lens holder. Tolerances arising in the material-locking fixing of the lens assembly can be compensated in a simple manner by means of the movement of the light source unit.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the method according to the invention, the light source unit is moved by means of a magnetizable spring element, which acts on the light source unit and is compressed or stretched by means of a change in the magnetic field, with the effect that the relative position of the light source unit with respect to the lens assembly can be moved or adjusted. Advantageously, this adjustment can also be carried out during vehicle inspections, wherein the adjustment can be carried out in a simple manner by electrical control of the magnetic field generator.

[0020] Further advantages of the invention result from the further dependent claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with the help of the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are as follows:

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a headlamp according to the invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The headlamp according to the invention has a housing 1 in which a plurality of individually controllable light sources 2 and a lens arrangement 3 designed as a light guide are arranged for generating a predetermined light distribution or light pattern.

[0024] The light sources 2 are respectively configured as LED light sources or LED chips, which are fixed on a common substrate 4. In order to electrically control the light sources 2, a control device 5 is provided, which can be arranged inside the housing 1 or outside the housing 1. For example, 16,000 light sources 2 are arranged in an m×n matrix, so that a glare-free high beam distribution (adaptive light) can be generated by the lens assembly 3 according to the control of the light sources 2.

[0025] The lens assembly 3 may have one or more lenses. In the present embodiment, the lens assembly 3 has a plano-convex lens, which is fixed to the body 7 by a holding device 6. The holding device 6 has a plurality of holding arms 6', which are inserted into the adhesive bed of the holding tabs (not shown) of the body 7.

[0026] The body 7 is designed as a heat sink, on which a printed circuit board 9 is fixed. The printed circuit board 9 has electronic components, by means of which the headlight is operated. For example, the control device 5 can be arranged on the printed circuit board 9 .

[0027] For basic adjustment of the headlight, i.e. for adjusting a predetermined distance x between the light source 2 on the one hand and the lens assembly 3 on the other hand, a distance adjustment device 10 is provided, which has a reciprocating adjustment element 11 on the one hand and an actuator 12 operatively connected to the adjustment element 11 on the other hand.

[0028] The adjustment element 11 is arranged between the plurality of light sources 2 on the one hand and the circuit board 9 on the other hand. The adjustment element 11 is designed as a spring element, the extension of which in the direction of the optical axis A of the lens assembly 3 can be varied.

[0029] In the present embodiment, the actuator 12 is configured as a magnetic field generator, in particular as an electrical coil for generating a magnetic field, wherein the spring element 11 is configured to be magnetizable. The spring element 11 is made of a ferromagnetic material. In the present embodiment, the spring element is configured as a spacer ring having a symmetry axis S extending perpendicular to the optical axis A.

[0030] The current-carrying coil 12 is electrically connected to the control device 5 so that a signal 14, i.e., a current, is generated by a corresponding distance control device of the control device 5. With the aid of the control signal 14, the magnetic field generated by the current-carrying coil 12 changes, so that the magnetizable spring element 11 is compressed or stretched by a travel difference ΔX in the direction of the optical axis A, with the effect that the distance x from the light source 2 to the lens assembly 3 changes until, for example, a predetermined light pattern is adjusted on a measuring screen. The change in the shape of the spring element 11 causes a change in the travel difference ΔX, i.e., a change in the distance or the distance x from the light source 2 to the lens assembly 3 and a change in the distance a between the light source 2 on the one hand and the circuit board 9 on the other hand.

[0031] For example, the base 4 of the light source unit 15 formed by a plurality of light sources 2 and the base 4 can be fixedly and preferably flatly connected to one side 16 of the spring element 11, and the circuit board 9 can be connected to the opposite side 16' of the spring element 11. This connection can be, for example, a material connection or a force connection.

[0032] Alternatively, the spring element 11 can be arranged between the light source unit 15 and the circuit board 9 in a spring-prestressed manner, wherein the spring element 11 is held in a clamped manner between the light source unit 15 and the circuit board 9. In this case, the light source unit 15 must be held at a maximum distance a from the circuit board 9 by means of fixing means (not shown), so that the spring element 11 can only be compressed for basic adjustment, but not stretched.

[0033] The spring member 11 is made of a metal material so that heat generated in the light source unit 15 can be discharged to the circuit board 9 or the cooling body 7 .

[0034] If the spring element 11 is designed, for example, as a metal spring, the latter preferably has a constant spring rate, so that there is a proportionality between the magnetic force acting on the metal spring and the travel difference ΔX.

[0035] The current-carrying coil 12 can be controlled by the same control device 5 that is responsible for controlling the light source 2. For example, the control device 5 is positioned on the circuit board 9. The substrate 4 or the light source unit 15 is mechanically connected to the adjusting element 11. The electrical terminals of the light source 2 of the light source unit 15 are electrically connected to the circuit board 9. For example, an electrical connection (wire connection) is established via wires 17. The electrical terminals 18 of the circuit board 9 are arranged at a distance from each other that is greater than the minimum extension distance of the adjusting element 11 extending transversely to the optical axis A. Therefore, the two wires 17 must pass by the adjusting element 11, so that the circuit board 9 is at least as long or as wide as the length or width of the adjusting element 11.

[0036] The adjustment element 11 is arranged symmetrically with respect to a center plane M which extends through the optical axis A and perpendicular to the circuit board 9. In this way, a defined linear movement perpendicular to the circuit board 9 or in the direction of the optical axis A can be achieved by corresponding control of the adjustment element 11 by the actuator 12.

[0037] Alternatively, the actuator 12 may also be in other relative positions relative to the circuit board 9 or another actuator may be arranged so as to not only realize the linear movement of the light source unit 15 but also cause a tilting effect of the light source unit 15, so that the light source unit 15 cannot move parallel to the circuit board 9. For example, a three-dimensional movement of the light source unit 15 relative to the circuit board 9 and the lens assembly 3 can be realized thereby.

[0038] The process of distance adjustment is carried out as follows. The components of the headlamp, namely the light source unit 15, the circuit board 9 with electronic components, and the lens assembly 3 are fixed, wherein the light source unit 15 is preferably fixed to one side 16 of the adjustment element 11 by material bonding and the circuit board 9 is preferably fixed to the other side 16' of the adjustment element by material bonding. The actuator 12 is positioned and fixed on the side of the circuit board 9 facing away from the light source unit 15, so that the axis of the current-carrying coil 12 extends on the optical axis A of the lens assembly 3. The current-carrying coil 12 is fixed, for example, on the side of the circuit board 9 facing away from the light source unit 15, and the electrical terminal 13 of the coil 12 is connected to the electronic control device 5. The light source 2 is electrically connected to the corresponding electrical terminal 18 of the circuit board 9 via the wire connection 17. The electrical terminal 18 is electrically connected to the corresponding terminal of the control device 5. For this purpose, the circuit board 9 has corresponding printed conductors.

[0039] The basic adjustment of the headlamp is carried out by the manufacturer in the corresponding device, wherein the currently generated light pattern is compared with a predetermined light pattern (target light pattern) by controlling the light source unit 15 by means of the control device 5, for example on a measuring screen. By controlling the actuator 12, the adjustment element 11 is moved or compressed or stretched until the current light pattern corresponds to the target light pattern. Finally, the control signal 14 (control means) currently output by the control device 5 to the actuator 12 is fixed or "frozen". The basic adjustment is thus completed.

[0040] Since the components of the distance adjustment device 10, namely the adjustment element 11, the actuator 12 and the control device 5, are installed in the headlamp, the basic adjustment can also be adjusted after the headlamp is installed in the vehicle, for example during an inspection in a workshop. Advantageously, the basic adjustment can thus be adjusted quickly when the ambient conditions or disturbance variables change.

[0041] According to an alternative embodiment of the invention (not shown), the adjusting element 11 can also be designed as a cylindrical or helical spring element. The travel difference ΔX is preferably in the millimeter range.

[0042] Reference numerals list

[0043] 1 Housing

[0044] 2 Light Source

[0045] 3 Lens components

[0046] 4 Base

[0047] 5 Control device

[0048] 6. 6' holding device / holding arm

[0049] 7 Subject

[0050] 9 Circuit Board

[0051] 10 Distance adjustment device

[0052] 11 Adjusting element / spring element

[0053] 12 Actuator

[0054] 13 Electrical terminals

[0055] 14 Distance control device

[0056] 15 Light source unit

[0057] 16, 16' side

[0058] 17 Wire

[0059] 18 Electrical terminals

[0060] a Distance

[0061] X distance

[0062] ΔX travel difference

[0063] A Optical axis

[0064] S Axis of symmetry

[0065] M Center plane

Claims

1. A headlamp for a vehicle, the headlamp having a light source unit (15), the light source unit comprising a plurality of light sources (2) and a lens assembly (3), the lens assembly being arranged at a predetermined distance (x) from the light source unit (15) for generating a predetermined light image; the headlamp having a circuit board (9), the light source unit (15) being electrically connected to the circuit board; and the headlamp having a retaining device (6, 6') for retaining the lens assembly (3) on a body (7) fixedly connected to the circuit board (9), characterized in that: A distance adjustment device (10) is provided, and the distance adjustment device comprises: - an adjusting element (11) capable of reciprocating in the direction of the optical axis (A) of the lens assembly (3), said adjusting element acting on the light source unit (15) and the circuit board (9); an actuator (12) which can be operatively connected to the adjusting element (11) in order to move the adjusting element, - A control device (5) comprising a control means (14) for controlling the actuator (12) so that the adjustment element (11) moves in the direction of the optical axis (A) with a travel difference (ΔX) until the currently generated light pattern is consistent with the predetermined light pattern.

2. The headlamp according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adjustment element (11) is designed as a spring element, the extension of which in the direction of the optical axis (A) can be changed.

3. The headlamp according to claim 2, characterized in that: The spring element (11) is designed as a magnetizable spring element and the actuator (12) is designed as a magnetic field generator.

4. The headlamp according to claim 3, characterized in that: The magnetic field generator (12) is designed as a current-carrying coil which is arranged on a side of the printed circuit board (9) facing away from the light source (2).

5. The headlamp according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The magnetizable spring element (11) is made of a ferromagnetic material.

6. The headlamp according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The spring element (11) is designed as a spacer ring having an axis of symmetry (S) extending perpendicularly to the optical axis (A) and perpendicularly to the path difference (ΔX).

7. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The electrical terminals of the light source unit (15) are connected to the electrical terminals (18) of the circuit board (9) via the electrical connections (17).

8. The headlamp according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The spring element (11) is designed to be heat-conducting.

9. The headlamp according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The spring element (11) acts in a flat manner on the light source unit (15) and the circuit board (9).

10. The headlamp according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The spring element (11) is arranged in a spring-prestressed manner between the light source unit (15) and the circuit board (9).

11. The headlamp according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The spring element (11) is designed as a metal spring with a constant spring rate.

12. The headlamp according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The light source unit (15) has a matrix field including a plurality of LED light sources (2).

13. The distance adjustment device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A method for adjusting a predetermined light pattern of a headlamp, wherein: A light guide device (3) and a circuit board (9) assigned to a light source unit (15) are fixedly connected to each other, characterized in that the light source unit (15) is moved relative to the circuit board (9) until a currently generated light image is consistent with a predetermined light image, and then the adjusted distance (a) between the light source unit (15) and the circuit board (9) is fixed.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that The light source unit (15) is moved relative to the circuit board (9) by means of a magnetizable spring element (11).

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