Lighting device for a vehicle and manufacturing method

Abstract

The invention relates to a lighting device for a vehicle and a production method, comprising a light source (4) for emitting light (3) and a light guide (5) for conducting the light (3) in a light guide direction (12), said light guide comprising: a light input-coupling surface (8) on which the light (3) emitted by the light source (4) can be input-coupled; the invention relates to a light guide (5), comprising a light inlet surface (8), a light outlet surface (13), on which light (3) which is coupled in the light guide (5) can be coupled out, the light inlet surface (8) being provided with a color filter (16, 16 ', 16' ') for changing the color of the light (3) which is coupled in the light guide (5), the color filter (16, 16', 16 '') being designed as a color-printed coating (15).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a lighting device for a vehicle, the lighting device comprising a light source for emitting light and a light conductor for guiding light along a light-guiding direction, the light conductor comprising: a light input coupling surface, on which light emitted by the light source can be input coupled; and a light output coupling surface, on which light input coupled in the light conductor can be output coupled, wherein the light input coupling surface is provided with a color filter for changing the color of the light input coupled into the light conductor.

[0002] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for generating a color filter on the light input coupling surface of a light conductor used to generate a signal light function in a vehicle. Background Technology

[0003] A lighting device for a vehicle is known from EP2886938B1, which has a light source and a light conductor disposed within a housing. The housing is covered by a transparent light lens. The light conductor is elongated. On the narrow side, light emitted by the light source is input-coupled into the light conductor on a light input coupling surface and output-coupled on a light output coupling surface disposed on the side facing the light lens. To emit light of a predetermined signal color in a predetermined color, a first color filter is provided on the light input coupling surface of the light conductor, and a second color filter is provided on the light lens. A predetermined color of light can be emitted by combining these different color filters. For example, when a driving direction indicator should be generated, the first color filter has pink and the second color filter has green, thereby emitting a composite orange light by superposition. A disadvantage in the configuration of the color filters on the light input coupling surface is that the use of chemical vapor deposition or physical vapor deposition methods for coating the color filters is relatively complex. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The objective of this invention is to further configure a lighting device and method for a vehicle such that the lighting device is displayed in a predetermined light color in a simple manner.

[0005] To address this task, the present invention, in conjunction with the preamble of claim 1, features that the color filter is configured as a color printed coating.

[0006] A particular advantage of this invention is that, in a manner simple to manufacture, the lighting device displays a predetermined light color. According to the invention, color filters are printed only on the light input coupling surface of the light conductor, thereby determining the color appearance of the light conductor itself. When the light conductor itself is made of a glass-like transparent material, except for the coating on the light input coupling side, the light conductor displays only (i.e., on its light output coupling surface) in the predetermined light color obtained through the color filter. The basic idea of ​​the invention is to define and determine the color appearance of the light conductor by correspondingly printing color filters on the light input coupling surface. Advantageously, this allows, for example, the light conductor to be presented with an ambient appearance, for example, through a printed blue color filter.

[0007] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the colored printed coating is applied to the light input coupling surface of the photoconductor by means of a stamping die, the stamping die having a predetermined printing color on its end side. The stamping die has a printing surface such that the entire light input coupling surface of the photoconductor is covered with the printed color material. Advantageously, uniform colored printing coating can be achieved here.

[0008] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the light input coupling surface of the optical conductor is formed flat, so that printing ink can be applied in a planar and uniform manner by means of a stamping die formed flat at the end side. According to a further embodiment of the invention, a colored printing coating is achieved by multiple printings of the same printing ink, so that a sufficiently thick color layer can be applied to the light input coupling surface of the optical conductor.

[0009] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the optical conductor is elongated and the optical input coupling surface is disposed on one end of the optical conductor. The size of the optical input coupling surface is selected to be relatively small relative to the optical output coupling surface, thereby reducing the cost of color printing.

[0010] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the light conductor extends in an arc along the light-guiding direction, wherein the light output coupling surface extends along the arc. In this way, elongated linear colored light-emitting lines can be produced, which are particularly suitable for ambient lighting, preferably within the housing of a lighting device, such as within a headlight housing.

[0011] To solve the aforementioned task, the method according to the invention is characterized by the features of claim 13.

[0012] A particular advantage of the method according to the invention is that it achieves a predetermined color by printing the light input coupling surface of the light conductor at least once in a simple manner. This color can, for example, be used for ambient lighting within the housing of a lighting device.

[0013] Other advantages of the invention are derived from the other dependent claims. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The embodiments of the present invention will then be further explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0015] in:

[0016] Figure 1 A schematic top view of a lighting device for a vehicle is shown;

[0017] Figure 2 A perspective rear view of the light conductor of the lighting device is shown;

[0018] Figure 3a A printing method for a photoconductor is shown, wherein a die wetted with paint pigment moves perpendicularly to the light input coupling surface of the photoconductor onto the photoconductor;

[0019] Figure 3b This illustrates a printing method when the die is in contact with the light input coupling surface of the optical conductor;

[0020] Figure 3c The diagram illustrates the operational steps of the printing method after the die is first removed from the printed light input coupling surface of the photoconductor, and...

[0021] Figure 3d This illustrates another working step of the printing method after three printings and the removal of the stamping die from the printed light input coupling surface of the photoconductor. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The lighting device for vehicles mainly has a canister-shaped housing 1, the opening of which is covered by a transparent light lens 2. Within the internal space formed by the housing 1 and the light lens 2, a light module (not shown) for generating a predetermined light distribution, such as a low beam distribution and / or a high beam distribution, can be installed. Additional and... Figure 1 As shown in the diagram, a light source 4 emitting white light 3 and a light conductor 5 disposed for the light source are provided to generate ambient light of a predetermined color. The lighting device thus functions as a signal light.

[0023] The light source 4 is configured as an LED light source that emits white light. The light source 4 is preferably mounted on a circuit board (not shown), and other light sources for other optical modules are also mounted on the same circuit board.

[0024] The elongated optical conductor 5 is truncated conical in cross-section, comprising a semi-circular arcuate profile 6 and a truncated conical base profile 7. These profiles 6 and 7 extend continuously from the first end side 8 of the optical conductor 5 to the opposite second end side 9 of the optical conductor 5.

[0025] The first end 8 of the optical conductor 5 is the light input coupling surface of the optical conductor 5. A light source 4 is disposed near the light input coupling surface 8, and the light source is oriented relative to the optical conductor 5 such that the light 3 emitted by the light source 4 substantially illuminates the light input coupling surface 8.

[0026] In this embodiment, the optical conductor 5 has two sections. One section is a first curved section 10, which is disposed on the side facing the light input coupling surface 8 and extends from the light input coupling surface 8 in an acute or right-angle arc.

[0027] Furthermore, the optical conductor 5 has a second longitudinal section 11, which is directly connected to and integrally connected to the curved section 10. In the curved section 10, the light coupled through the optical input coupling surface 8 is conducted only along the extension direction of the optical conductor 5, i.e., along the light guiding direction 12 of the optical conductor 5. However, in the longitudinal section 11, the input coupled light is not only conducted along the light guiding direction 12, but also additionally redirected at a steep angle relative to the surface formed by the semi-circular arcuate profile 6 along the optical conductor 5 by means of an output coupling element (not shown), so that the input coupled light is output coupled on the elongated optical output coupling surface 13 of the optical conductor 5. The optical output coupling surface 13 has a semi-circular arcuate profile 6 in cross-section.

[0028] The light output coupling surface 13 and the non-light output coupling surface 14, which has a truncated cone-shaped base profile 7 in cross-section, together form the peripheral surface of the light conductor 5.

[0029] According to the present invention, the light input coupling surface 8 of the light conductor 5 is provided with a color filter 15. The color filter 15 is configured as a color printed coating, which is formed by one or more color printed layers 16.

[0030] To form the colored printing coating 16, the stamping die 17 is wetted with printing ink 18 on its end side. See Figure 3a The printing pigment 18 can be, for example, a paint pigment. For the purpose of creating ambient lighting, the printing pigment 18 can be, for example, a blue printing pigment.

[0031] The stamping die 17 can be rigid or flexible.

[0032] In this embodiment, the stamping die 17 is rigidly constructed, wherein the end face 19 of the stamping die 17 is flat like the light input coupling surface 8 of the light conductor 5 and has the same truncated conical profile as the light input coupling surface 8 of the light conductor 5, so that under pressure loading of the light input coupling surface 8, according to Figure 3b In the contact state, the peripheral surface 20 of the stamping die 17 is flush with the peripheral surface of the optical conductor 5.

[0033] It is assumed that the light conductor 5 is rigidly disposed in a carrier (not shown). After pressure is applied to the light input coupling surface 8 of the light conductor 5 by the stamping die 17 and after the stamping die 17 is removed from the light input coupling surface, a first printed layer 16 is applied to the light input coupling surface 8. By repeatedly applying the printing ink 18 to the end face 19 of the stamping die 17, the printing process can be repeated multiple times, thereby applying multiple printed layers, such as three printed layers 16, 16', 16", to the light input coupling surface 8 of the light conductor 5. This ensures a dense coating of printing ink on the light input coupling surface 8 of the light conductor 5.

[0034] The printing ink 18 may contain, for example, a blue pigment to form a blue light color. Alternatively, any other desired color may be applied to the light input coupling surface 8 of the light conductor 5.

[0035] According to an alternative embodiment (not shown), the light conductor 5 can also be configured as a surface light conductor, in which light is input coupled on a narrow side and output coupled (edge ​​light) on a large-area light output coupling surface. During the linear configuration of the light input coupling, the light output coupling is achieved in a two-dimensional surface, i.e., nonlinearly.

[0036] List of reference numerals

[0037] 1. Shell

[0038] 2-lens

[0039] 3 Light

[0040] 4 light sources

[0041] 5 Photoconductors

[0042] 6. Arc-shaped profile

[0043] 7 Basic Outlines

[0044] 8 First end side / optical input coupling surface

[0045] 9 Second end side

[0046] 10 curve sections

[0047] 11 longitudinal sections

[0048] 12 light guide directions

[0049] 13 Optical Output Coupling Surface

[0050] 14 Non-optical output coupling surfaces

[0051] 15-color printing coating

[0052] 16", 16', 16" color printing layers

[0053] 17 stamping die

[0054] 18 Printing Pigments

[0055] 19 end face

[0056] 20 weeks

Claims

1. A lighting device for a vehicle, the lighting device comprising a light source (4) for emitting light (3) and a light conductor (5) for guiding the light (3) along a light guiding direction (12), the light conductor comprising - An optical input coupling surface (8) is provided, through which light (3) emitted by the light source (4) can be input coupled, and - Optical output coupling surface (13), where coupled light (3) input into the optical conductor (5) can be output coupled. in, The light input coupling surface (8) is provided with color filters (16, 16', 16") for changing the color of the light (3) input coupled to the light conductor (5), characterized in that the color filters (16, 16', 16") are configured as a color printed coating (15).

2. The lighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The color printing coating (16, 16', 16") can be applied by means of a stamping die (17), the end face (19) of which is equal to or larger than the light input coupling surface (8).

3. The lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The optical input coupling surface (8) is formed on a flat surface.

4. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The color printing coating (15) has multiple printing layers (16, 16', 16").

5. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The optical conductor (5) is elongated and the optical input coupling surface (8) forms the end side of the optical conductor (5).

6. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The printed layers (16, 16', 16") each have the same paint color (18).

7. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The light source (4) is configured as an LED light source that emits white light (3).

8. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The colored printing coating (15) has a blue pigment to produce the blue color of the colored printing coating.

9. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The optical conductor (5) has a first curved section (10) along the light guiding direction (12), the first curved section including the light input coupling surface (8) of the optical conductor (5) at its free end.

10. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The light conductor (5) has a second longitudinal section (11) which is integrally connected to the first curved section (10) and has an output coupling mechanism, so that the input coupled light (3) is reversed toward the light output coupling surface (13) disposed on one side of the light conductor (5) to output coupled the light (3) in accordance with the predetermined light color through the colored coating (15).

11. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The optical conductor (5) is truncated in a cone shape in cross-section.

12. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that, The light output coupling surface (13) of the optical conductor (5) is formed by a surface having a semi-circular arc profile (6) in the cross-section.

13. A method for generating a color filter (15) on the light input coupling surface (8) of a light conductor (5), said light conductor being used to generate a signal light function in a vehicle, characterized in that, The light input coupling surface (8) of the photoconductor (5) is printed at least once with printing ink (18) to form at least one color printing layer (16, 16', 16").

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The light input coupling surface (8) is printed multiple times with the same printing ink (18).

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