Light conductor for light-emitting element

Abstract

The invention relates to a light guide (100) for a light-emitting element (200), said light guide (100) comprising a light-emitting body (101), said light-emitting body (101) comprising an interface (103) for coupling in a light beam.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a light guide for a light-emitting element, in particular a positioning light, a headlight, a vehicle and a production method according to the appended claims. Background Art

[0002] Based on the provisions of traffic regulations, lighting elements for vehicles, such as positioning lights, must emit light both in the main beam direction (such as along the roadway) and laterally (such as on the left and right sides of the roadway or outside the roadway).

[0003] Here, the emission angle of the positioning light or positioning lamp should satisfy a lateral emission angle of 80° relative to the main emission direction, so that the positioning light can be well recognized even from a lateral position relative to the respective vehicle.

[0004] Known positioning lights or contour marker lights are optimized for a single side of the vehicle, emitting light in the main emission direction and on a single side. Accordingly, two positioning lights usually work together to emit light on both sides.

[0005] Furthermore, the installation space is very limited, especially in motor vehicles such as motorcycles. Summary of the invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a compact and safe lighting element for a vehicle, in particular a compact and safe positioning light.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, therefore, a light guide for a lighting element, in particular a positioning lamp, is proposed.

[0008] The optical waveguide comprises a luminous body, wherein the luminous body comprises an interface for coupling in a light beam, the luminous body comprises a plurality of alignment elements, the alignment elements are respectively configured to emit the light beam coupled into the luminous body in alignment with a main emission direction through a main emission surface opposite to the plurality of alignment elements, wherein the luminous body comprises at least one auxiliary side surface, the auxiliary side surface extending laterally between the main emission surface and the plurality of alignment elements, wherein the luminous body comprises a side emission surface extending opposite to the at least one auxiliary side surface, wherein the at least one auxiliary side surface comprises a plurality of smooth conducting surfaces and a plurality of rough surfaces, wherein the corresponding conducting surfaces are configured to conduct the light beam inside the luminous body, wherein the corresponding rough surfaces are configured to diffusely reflect the light beam, so that at least a portion of the light beam reflected by the corresponding rough surfaces is emitted from the luminous body through the side emission surface.

[0009] In the context of the present invention, an alignment element is understood to be an optical element which is configured to direct or refract light beams incident into the alignment element so that these light beams are directed out in a predetermined direction.

[0010] In the context of the present invention, a rough surface is to be understood as a surface on the luminous body of the light guide, which surface has an increased roughness relative to a clear surface, such as a main emission surface. Here, the roughness can correspond to the roughness specified by the VDI 3400-33 standard, for example.

[0011] The rough surface can for example have a certain structure, in particular have a plurality of protrusions and valleys. For example, the rough surface can be sandpaper-like, while the clear surface or the exit surface can be flat or smooth, for example writing paper-like.

[0012] The optical waveguide is based on the principle that it comprises a plurality of exit surfaces for coupling out or emitting light, namely, on the one hand, a main exit surface, through which a directed light beam is emitted in a main emission direction, and on the other hand, a side exit surface, through which light beams reflected by corresponding rough surfaces and light beams randomly propagated through the light-emitting body are coupled out or emitted.

[0013] The main emission surface makes it possible to identify the light guide as emitting light from a main direction, in particular from the front.

[0014] The lateral emission surface allows the light guide to be identified as luminous from a lateral direction, ie in a direction laterally offset from the main direction, in particular in an arc offset laterally from the main direction in a range between 45° and at least 80°.

[0015] Due to the rough surface provided according to the invention, the light beams propagating in the luminous body are diffusely reflected, so that these light beams at least partially strike the lateral emission surface and emerge from the luminous body there.

[0016] The luminous body provided according to the invention can be made of transparent plastic in particular. For example, the luminous body can be prepared by an injection molding process or a generative manufacturing method.

[0017] It can be provided that the main exit surface forms a half-tube.

[0018] The half-tube causes the conduction or propagation of the light beam inside the luminous body through total reflection, so that the entire luminous body is penetrated by the light beam and illuminates the entire main emission surface and the entire side emission surface.

[0019] Furthermore, the main emission surface in the form of a half-tube enables the half-tube to be visible from a position laterally to the main emission direction, in particular from a position less than 80° relative to the main emission direction.

[0020] Furthermore, it can be provided that the luminous element comprises a first part extending essentially horizontally and a second part extending essentially vertically, wherein the first part is shorter than the second part.

[0021] For example, the luminous body can be designed in an L-shape or substantially in an L-shape, so that in particular on the long vertical section a large lateral emission surface is formed, which can be perceived as emitting light particularly well from a position laterally to the optical waveguide.

[0022] Furthermore, it can be provided that the respective roughened surface is designed to be circular, at least partially rounded, polygonal, quadrilateral or rectangular, in particular strip-shaped.

[0023] The roughened surfaces can generally have any technically suitable shape as long as they reflect the light beam diffusely.

[0024] Furthermore, it may be provided that the plurality of rough surfaces include a plurality of stripe-shaped rough surfaces, which extend over the entire height of the auxiliary side surface between the main exit surface and the rear side having the plurality of alignment elements.

[0025] A large part of the light beam propagating through the luminaire is captured by the rough surface extending over the entire height of the auxiliary side surface and diffused out.

[0026] Furthermore, it can be provided that the respective roughened surfaces are spaced apart from one another by the respective conductive surfaces.

[0027] The conducting surface ensures that the light beam coupled into the optical waveguide by the light source on the first side also propagates to the portion of the optical waveguide remote from the first side. For this purpose, the light beam is totally reflected by the conducting surface. Accordingly, a compromise between the brightness of the side exit surface and the brightness over the entire optical waveguide can be achieved by the rough surfaces spaced apart from each other by the respective conducting surfaces. For this purpose, the area of ​​the respective conducting surface can be varied, in particular, over the length of the luminous body, so that, for example, no conducting surface or only the smallest conducting surface is formed at the end opposite to the first end, and the largest conducting surface is formed at the first end.

[0028] According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a light-emitting element for a vehicle, in particular a positioning light, wherein the light-emitting element or the positioning light comprises a plurality of possible designs of the optical waveguide, wherein at least one optical waveguide is oriented with its emission surface toward a first side of the positioning light and at least one further optical waveguide is oriented with its emission surface toward a second side opposite to the first side.

[0029] Due to the optical waveguide according to the invention, it is particularly easy to detect that the positioning light is luminous from a position laterally to the main emission direction of the positioning light.

[0030] The light-localizing optical fiber can be configured in particular to illuminate a region between, in particular, 45° and at least 80° laterally to the main emission direction.

[0031] According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a headlight for a vehicle, wherein the headlight comprises the possible configuration of the described light-emitting element, in particular the positioning light.

[0032] Due to the positioning light, the headlight can be designed to be particularly compact, so that the headlight is particularly advantageously suitable for use on motor vehicles, for example motorcycles.

[0033] According to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a possible embodiment of the light-emitting element in the form of a positioning light or a possible embodiment of the headlight.

[0034] The vehicle may in particular be a motorcycle.

[0035] According to a fifth aspect, the invention relates to a production method for a possible embodiment of the optical waveguide described.

[0036] The production method comprises providing a base body and introducing a rough surface into the base body by means of a laser.

[0037] Lighting elements made of, for example, transparent plastic can be processed particularly efficiently and precisely by means of a laser, so that a plurality of rough surfaces are produced on the lighting element. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] The present invention is described in detail below with the aid of the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings:

[0039] Figure 1 A possible design of the optical waveguide is shown;

[0040] Figure 2 Show according to Figure 1 Detail of the light conductor;

[0041] Figure 3 A possible design of the headlamp is shown, which includes a Figure 1 A possible design scheme of the light-emitting element / positioning light of the light conductor;

[0042] Figure 4 A possible design scheme of the manufacturing method is shown;

[0043] Figure 5 showing possible designs of the vehicle; and

[0044] Figure 6 Show according to Figure 2 Cross-section of a light guide. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] exist Figure 12 shows an optical waveguide 100 for a lighting element 200 , for example a headlight.

[0046] The optical waveguide 100 comprises a lighting element 101 which comprises an interface 103 for coupling in a light beam via a light source 105 .

[0047] The light source 101 further comprises a plurality of alignment elements 107, such as Figure 2 As shown in , the alignment elements 107 are each configured to emit a light beam coupled into the luminous body 101 through a main emission surface 109 opposite the plurality of alignment elements 107 in an aligned main emission direction, as indicated by arrows 109 .

[0048] Likewise Figure 2 As shown in , the luminous body 101 includes at least one auxiliary side surface 111 , which extends laterally between the main emission surface 109 and the plurality of alignment elements 107 .

[0049] The light emitting body 101 further includes at least one side emission surface (not shown) extending opposite to the at least one auxiliary side surface 111 , wherein the at least one auxiliary side surface 111 includes a plurality of smooth conductive surfaces 113 and a plurality of rough surfaces 115 .

[0050] The lateral emission surface illuminates a side region, as indicated by arrow 119. The illuminated side region can, for example, span an arc of at least 80°, so that the light guide 100 can be clearly seen to be emitting uniform light from the entire side region, in particular between 1° and 90° transversely to the main emission direction.

[0051] The conducting surface 113 is configured to conduct the light beam inside the light emitting body 101 .

[0052] The rough surfaces 115 are configured to diffusely reflect the light beam, so that at least a portion of the light beam reflected by each rough surface 115 is emitted from the light emitting body 101 through the side emission surface.

[0053] exist Figure 3 300, which includes a light emitting element 200 configured as a positioning light. The positioning light 200 includes a plurality of Figure 1 The optical fiber 100 is provided with a light guide.

[0054] exist Figure 4 4 shows a manufacturing method 400. The manufacturing method 400 comprises a providing step 401, in which a base body of a luminous body is provided, and an introducing step 403, in which a rough surface is introduced into the base body by means of a laser.

[0055] exist Figure 5 5 shows a vehicle 500 in the form of a motorcycle. The vehicle 500 includes a Figure 3 300 headlights.

[0056] Figure 6 According to Figure 2 Attached to Figure 2 ,exist Figure 6 Also shown are the lateral emission surface 121 and the rear side 123 of the optical waveguide 100 . Reference numerals list

[0057] 100 optical conductors

[0058] 101 Luminous Body

[0059] 103 Interface

[0060] 105 Light Source

[0061] 107 Alignment element

[0062] 109 Main emission surface

[0063] 111 auxiliary side

[0064] 113 Conductive surface

[0065] 115 Rough surface

[0066] 117 Arrow

[0067] 119 Arrow

[0068] 200 light emitting elements / positioning lights

[0069] 300 headlamp

[0070] 400 Manufacturing Method

[0071] 401 Provide Steps

[0072] 403 Introduction Steps

Claims

1. A light conductor (100) for a light emitting element (200), The optical conductor (100) comprises a luminous body (101), The luminous body (101) comprises an interface (103) for coupling in a light beam. The luminous body (101) comprises a plurality of alignment elements (107) on the rear side (123), wherein the alignment elements are respectively configured to cause a light beam coupled into the luminous body (101) to be emitted in a main emission direction (117) through a main emission surface (109) opposite to the plurality of alignment elements (107). The luminous body (101) comprises at least one auxiliary side surface (111), the auxiliary side surface extending laterally between the main emission surface (109) and the plurality of alignment elements (107), The luminous body (101) comprises at least one side emission surface (121) extending opposite to the at least one auxiliary side surface (111), The at least one auxiliary side surface (111) comprises a plurality of smooth conductive surfaces (113) and a plurality of rough surfaces (115), The corresponding conducting surface (115) is configured to conduct a light beam inside the light emitting body (101), The corresponding rough surface (115) is configured to diffusely reflect the light beam, so that at least a portion of the light beam reflected by the corresponding rough surface (115) is emitted from the light emitting body (101) through the side emission surface (121).

2. The optical waveguide (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The corresponding rough surface (115) has a roughness according to the VDI 3400-33 standard.

3. The optical fiber (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The main emission surface (109) forms a half tube.

4. The optical waveguide (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The luminous body (101) comprises a first portion extending substantially horizontally and a second portion extending substantially vertically, wherein the first portion is shorter than the second portion.

5. The optical waveguide (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The respective roughened surface (115) is designed to be circular, at least partially rounded, polygonal, quadrilateral or rectangular, in particular strip-shaped.

6. The optical waveguide (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The plurality of rough surfaces (115) include a plurality of strip-shaped rough surfaces, and the strip-shaped rough surfaces extend over the entire height of the auxiliary side surface (111) between the main exit surface (109) and the rear side (123) having the plurality of alignment elements (107).

7. The optical waveguide (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The respective rough surfaces (115) are spaced apart from each other by the respective conductive surfaces (113).

8. A light emitting element (200) for a vehicle, wherein: The light-emitting element (200) comprises a plurality of light conductors (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A headlamp (300) for a vehicle, wherein: The headlamp (300) comprises the light emitting element (200) according to claim 8.

10. A vehicle (500), wherein: The vehicle (500) comprises the light emitting element (200) according to claim 8 or the headlamp (300) according to claim 9.

11. A method (400) for producing a light guide body (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The manufacturing method (400) comprises: - Provide (401) substrate, - A rough surface is introduced (403) into the base body by means of a laser.

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