Roof assembly having a panel with a light conductor

Abstract

The invention relates to a roof assembly comprising: a vehicle pane having a pane body assembly (20) which has an outer side facing the vehicle surroundings and an inner side facing the vehicle interior and which has a light guide layer; a light source (36), the light of which can be coupled into the light conductor layer; the invention relates to a light source (38) for a light source (38), comprising a panel body assembly (20), and a light-shielding assembly (14), which comprises at least one guide rail (18) for a light-shielding element, the guide rail (18) resting on an inner side of the panel body assembly (20) and delimiting a receiving space (34) for the light source (38), which receiving space is delimited by the panel body assembly (20).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a roof assembly provided with a vehicle window panel, which comprises a window panel body assembly having a light conductor layer into which light energy from a light source is coupled. Background Art

[0002] WO 2021 / 198262 A1 discloses a roof assembly having a vehicle window panel configured as a fixed roof element or a cover element of a roof opening system, with which the roof opening can be selectively closed or released. The window panel body assembly can have a composite structure including a light conductor layer into which light from a light source can be coupled, so that the window panel body assembly can be used as an ambient lighting unit and, when the light source is activated, displays a light pattern visible from the vehicle interior.

[0003] Furthermore, roof assemblies are known from practice, which comprise a window panel body assembly and a roller blind assembly as a sunshade device, the roller blind assembly comprising a roller blind web and, with respect to a vertical longitudinal center plane of the roof assembly, respectively comprising guide rails for the roller blind web on both sides. The guide rails can each be supported on the respective roof side rail of the roof assembly or can be an integral part thereof.

[0004] DE 10 2018 123 196 B4 discloses a vehicle roof having a lighting element for illuminating the vehicle interior. The lighting element is configured as a light conductor or a light-emitting diode strip (LED strip).

[0005] WO2017 / 133894A1 describes a vehicle roof having a roof opening and two guide rails for guiding a movable shading element for shading the roof opening. The guide rails include a receiving portion in which a lighting element is arranged.

[0006] WO2018 / 206600A1 discloses a protective device for a vehicle interior, comprising a flexible planar structure, a guide device in which the flexible planar structure is linearly guided, and at least one light-emitting element associated with the flexible planar structure. The light-emitting element emits light onto the flexible planar structure in an operating state. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a roof module comprising a vehicle window panel with a window panel body module and a light source, the window panel body module comprising a light conductor layer, into which light from the light source can be coupled, and characterized by an optimized arrangement of the light source.

[0008] This object is achieved according to the invention by a roof module having the features of claim 1 .

[0009] Therefore, according to the present invention, a roof assembly is provided, comprising: a vehicle window panel having a window panel body assembly, the window panel body assembly having an outer side facing the vehicle surroundings and an inner side facing the vehicle interior, and the window panel body assembly having a light conductor layer; a light source, light of which can be coupled into the light conductor layer; and a sunshade assembly including at least one guide rail for a sunshade element. The guide rail of the sunshade assembly rests against the inner side of the window panel body assembly and forms a receiving space for the light source, which is bounded by the window panel body assembly.

[0010] In the roof module according to the present invention, the guide rails of the sunshade module create space for arranging the light source, allowing light from the light source to be coupled into the optical waveguide layer. Consequently, the light source is accommodated in the roof module so that it does not interfere with its appearance. Furthermore, the roof module according to the present invention is characterized in that, on the one hand, it has a lighting or ambient lighting function in the form of the light source and the optical waveguide layer, and, on the other hand, is provided with a sunshade device that controls the incidence of light through the roof module into the vehicle interior.

[0011] The shading assembly comprises, for example, roller blinds, sliding sunroofs etc. as shading elements.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the vehicle roof assembly according to the present invention, the light source is fixed on the guide rail. In this case, the guide rail also has the function of supporting or retaining the light source arranged below the window panel body assembly.

[0013] In a special embodiment of the roof assembly according to the invention, the light source comprises a circuit board, which is fixed to the guide rail in particular by means of retaining grooves and / or retaining ribs. In this case, the light source is in particular realized by means of a so-called printed circuit board (PCB), which is provided with LEDs on the side facing the window panel body assembly.

[0014] In order to prevent undesirable lighting effects from occurring in the vehicle interior, in a suitable embodiment of the roof assembly according to the invention, the guide rail has at least one contact flange, which rests against the window panel body assembly via a light-tight sealing element. The sealing element thus acts as a light seal, preventing light from the light source from escaping into the vehicle interior through any gaps between the guide rail and the window panel body assembly.

[0015] The light-tight sealing element can be formed by an adhesive strip which is affixed in a form-fitting manner to the window panel body component or the light conductor layer and to the abutment flange of the guide rail, or it can also be formed by a foam element which is affixed in a corresponding form-fitting manner to the window panel body component and to the abutment flange of the guide rail.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the roof assembly according to the invention, the light source comprises a particularly flexible LED light strip, whose light is directed toward the window panel assembly. This LED light strip is particularly a so-called roof LED assembly, which, when the roof assembly is installed, emits its light upward toward the window panel assembly or the optical waveguide layer. The window panel assembly is expediently provided with a light coupling device that ensures that the light emitted upward by the light source is coupled into the optical waveguide layer.

[0017] In the installed position of the roof module, the LED module emits its light upwards, towards the window body module or the light conductor layer, for example, in a light cone of at most 120°, preferably at most 60°, more preferably at most 30°. Consequently, the light emitted by the LED module deviates from the normal to the light source, i.e., a line perpendicular to the LED module, by an angle of at most 60°, preferably at most 30°, more preferably at most 15°.

[0018] The light coupling device capable of coupling light emitted by the light source into the window panel body component can include a prismatic coupling element as a light coupling structure. The coupling element is arranged on the inner side of the window panel body component facing the vehicle interior or on the inner side of the light conductor layer facing the vehicle interior, and the light from the light source is directed toward the coupling element. Due to internal reflection in the coupling element, the light is guided into the light conductor layer in such a way that it can propagate in the light conductor layer by further internal reflection.

[0019] In an alternative embodiment of the assembly according to the invention, a light coupling-in device is arranged between the outer window panel body and the inner window panel body of the composite structure, which are connected to each other by a laminate layer. The light coupling-in device, which can include a geometrically defined prismatic structure as the light coupling-in structure and can be formed by a polycarbonate injection-molded element, is then embedded in the laminate layer. The prismatic structure can in particular be formed by a flexible strip, which is arranged in the edge region of the composite structure between the outer window panel body and the inner window panel body. The light emitted by the light source arranged in the receiving space of the guide rail in the direction of the window panel body assembly preferably passes through the optical waveguide layer formed by the inner window panel body in order to then be reflected by the prismatic structure back in the direction of the optical waveguide layer, in which the light can propagate in a transverse direction by internal reflection or scattering.

[0020] It is also conceivable to provide, instead of a prismatic structure, a scattering element for scattering the light and / or a directing element for directing the light in a defined manner.

[0021] The directional elements are, for example, microstructures, nanostructures or grid structures.

[0022] The orientation element can be a mirror structure or a hologram, in particular a volume hologram.

[0023] Therefore, the light coupling means arranged either on the inner side of the window pane inner body or the light guide layer or between the window pane outer body and the window pane inner body can achieve a high light intensity with respect to the light coupled out in the direction of the vehicle interior.

[0024] The window panel inner body preferably has a light outcoupling structure on its side facing the laminate layer. The light outcoupling structure can consist of defined scattering regions applied to the inner side of the window panel inner body, defining a light pattern that can be generated by the lighting assembly consisting of a light source and a light conductor layer. The light outcoupling structure couples light out of the light conductor layer toward the vehicle interior.

[0025] The shading element of the shading assembly, for example a roller blind web, can itself have an ambient light function, which is achieved by edge structures and / or surface structures, in particular, incorporated into the material of the shading element. The shading element can thus include a light-conducting element, for example an optical waveguide, which itself couples out light or guides light to a light-coupling element, which couples the light out in the direction of the vehicle interior. Furthermore, light-coupling elements can be provided on the shading element and / or on the guide rail, so that light is coupled into the relevant edge structures and / or surface structures of the shading element. Additionally or alternatively, light coupled out from the inner body of the window panel can also be coupled directly into the shading element, so that this light can be utilized for the ambient light function of the shading element.

[0026] Further advantages and advantageous configurations of the subject matter of the invention can be gathered from the description, the drawings and the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] An exemplary embodiment of a vehicle roof assembly according to the invention is schematically illustrated in a simplified manner in the drawings and is explained in more detail in the following description.

[0028] Figure 1 A schematic top view of a roof assembly according to the present invention is shown;

[0029] Figure 2 Shown along Figure 1 The II-II line in Figure 1 a cross-sectional view of a vehicle window panel of a roof assembly;

[0030] Figure 3 Shows the corresponding Figure 2 sectional view of a vehicle window panel, but with the roller blind web in the closed position or light blocking position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The accompanying drawings show a roof assembly 10 of a motor vehicle (not shown in detail here), which is a panoramic sunroof and has a fixed roof element 12, which is arranged fixedly or immovably relative to the vehicle body. Fixed roof element 12 forms a vehicle window panel, which is equipped with an ambient light function. Furthermore, roof assembly 10 includes a sunshade assembly 14, which can be used to control the light incident on the vehicle interior. Sunshade assembly 14, in turn, includes a roller blind web 16 as a sunshade element and, with respect to the vertical longitudinal center plane of the roof, a guide rail 18 on each side, in which the relevant side edges of the roller blind web 16 are guided. The two guide rails 18 are designed to be mirror-symmetrical to each other.

[0032] The vehicle window panel formed by the fixed roof element 12 or the same comprises a window panel body assembly 20 having an inner side facing the vehicle interior and an outer side facing the vehicle surroundings and comprising a window panel outer body 22 forming the outer side and a window panel inner body 24 forming the inner side. The window panel outer body 22 and the window panel inner body 24 are connected to each other by a laminate layer 26.

[0033] like Figure 2 As shown, the guide rails 18 of the sunshade assembly 14 each have two contact flanges 28 and 30. The contact flanges 28 and 30 each rest against the inner side of the window panel inner body 24 via a light-tight sealing element 32 made of foam material and are respectively formed on ribs 29 and 31 of the guide rail profile that forms the relevant guide rail 18. The ribs 29 and 31 of the guide rail profile form a receiving space 34, which is delimited at the top by the inner side of the window panel inner body 24 and is closed in a light-tight manner in the lateral direction by the sealing element 32.

[0034] Arranged in the receiving space 34 is a light source 36 comprising a carrier circuit board 38 on which an LED 40 is arranged. The carrier circuit board 38 is snapped onto retaining ribs 42, which are formed onto the ribs 29 and 31 of the guide rail 18. The LED 40 is arranged on the top side of the carrier circuit board 38 and emits its light in the direction of the window panel body component 20.

[0035] The prismatic structure 44 is embedded in the laminate layer 26 of the window panel body assembly 20 in the form of a flexible strip that follows the strip-shaped light source 36. The prismatic structure is made of polycarbonate material according to an injection molding process and constitutes a light coupling device, with the help of which the light emitted upward by the light source 36 and passing through the window panel inner body 24 can be coupled into the window panel inner body 24 that constitutes the optical conductor layer.

[0036] The window panel inner body 24 has a light outcoupling structure 46 on its side facing the laminate layer 26, which is composed of scattering centers, with the help of which light propagating in the lateral direction in the window panel inner body 24 and / or the laminate layer 26 is emitted in the direction of the vehicle interior space, thereby generating a luminous pattern for an observer in the vehicle interior space.

[0037] The roller blind web 16 has, in its side edge regions, a light effect strip 50 that extends in the longitudinal direction of the roller blind along the associated guide rail 18. The light effect strip 50 provides an ambient light function that can be activated by light 48 coupled out of the window panel inner body 24 in the direction of the vehicle interior. The light effect strip 50 can include a light-conducting element, such as an optical fiber, which couples out the light itself or guides the light 48 to a light coupling or scattering element.

[0038] Reference Signs List

[0039] 10 Roof assembly

[0040] 12 Securing the roof elements

[0041] 14 Shading components

[0042] 16 Roller blinds

[0043] 18 rails

[0044] 20 Window panel body assembly

[0045] 22 Window panel outer body

[0046] 24 Window panel inner body

[0047] 26 laminate layers

[0048] 28 against the flange

[0049] 29 ribs

[0050] 30 against the flange

[0051] 31 ribs

[0052] 32 Sealing element

[0053] 34 Accommodation Space

[0054] 36 Light Source

[0055] 38 carrier circuit board

[0056] 40LED

[0057] 42 Keep Rib

[0058] 44 Prism Structure

[0059] 46 Optical outcoupling structure

[0060] 48 outcoupled light

[0061] 50 Light Effect Strips

Claims

1. A roof assembly comprising: A vehicle window panel having a window panel body component (20), the window panel body component having an outer side facing the vehicle surroundings and an inner side facing the vehicle interior, and the window panel body component having a light conductor layer; a light source (36), the light of which can be coupled into the light conductor layer; and a shading component (14), the shading component comprising at least one guide rail (18) for a shading element, wherein the guide rail (18) rests on the inner side of the window panel body component (20) and delimits a receiving space (34) for the light source (38), the receiving space being delimited by the window panel body component (20).

2. The roof assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The light source (36) is fixed on the guide rail (18).

3. The roof assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The light source (36) comprises a printed circuit board (38) which is held on the guide rail (18) in particular by means of holding ribs (42).

4. The roof assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The guide rail (18) has at least one abutment flange (28, 30), which abuts against the window panel body component (20) via a light-tight sealing element (32).

5. The roof assembly according to claim 4, wherein: The sealing element (32) is formed by an adhesive tape or a foam element.

6. The roof assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The light source (38) comprises an LED light bar, the light of which is directed toward the window panel body assembly (20).

7. The roof assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that The window panel body component (20) is provided with a light coupling structure.

8. The roof assembly according to claim 7, wherein: The window panel body assembly (20) comprises a window panel outer body (22) and a window panel inner body (24), wherein the window panel inner body is attached to the window panel outer body (22) via a laminate layer (26) and the window panel inner body constitutes the light conductor layer, wherein the light coupling structure is arranged on a side of the window panel inner body (24) facing the guide rail (18) or between the window panel inner body (24) and the window panel outer body (22).

9. The roof assembly according to claim 8, wherein: The light coupling structure includes a prismatic structure (44) constructed onto a bendable ribbon.

10. The roof assembly according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that: The window panel inner body (24) has a light outcoupling structure (46) on a side thereof facing the laminate layer (26).

11. The roof assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that The shading assembly comprises a roller blind web (16) which is guided in the guide rail (18).

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