Reflector, illumination module, vehicle lamp and vehicle

Abstract

The utility model relates to a reflecting element, and discloses a reflector, a lighting module, a vehicle lamp and a vehicle, the reflector comprises at least one pattern reflecting surface, and the pattern reflecting surface comprises at least two groups of pixel units used for jointly limiting reflecting patterns with different reflecting directions. The reflector provided by the utility model adopts a simple structure to realize a pixelated pattern display effect, and is lower in cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to reflective elements, specifically, to a reflector. It also relates to a lighting module, a vehicle headlight, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] In many fields, various lighting or signaling devices are known for providing light for illumination or signaling. For example, in motor vehicles, headlights are used to provide illumination or signaling functions to ensure safe driving or to provide decorative functions.

[0003] The clean lines and large, uniform light patterns have been around for many years, leading to aesthetic fatigue. As user needs evolve, more and more automakers are adopting projection headlights to provide personalized lighting patterns. Conventional techniques use decorative rings to block some light to create patterns, but this results in energy loss and affects overall optical efficiency. Alternatively, digital micromirror devices (DMDs) or liquid crystal displays (LCDs) can provide rich projection patterns, but these are quite expensive and complex.

[0004] Therefore, a new type of reflector needs to be designed to overcome or alleviate the above-mentioned technical problems. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a reflector that achieves pixelated pattern display effect with a simple structure at a low cost. A second purpose of this invention is to provide a lighting module. A third purpose is to provide a vehicle light. A fourth purpose is to provide a vehicle.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the first aspect of this utility model provides a reflector including at least one patterned reflective surface, the patterned reflective surface including at least two sets of pixel units for jointly defining reflective patterns with different reflection directions.

[0007] In some embodiments, the pixel unit includes a sub-reflective surface, a side-connecting surface, and a bottom surface. The sub-reflective surface is connected to the bottom surface through the side-connecting surface, and the sub-reflective surface is not parallel to the bottom surface.

[0008] In some embodiments, the angle between the sub-reflective surface and the side-connecting surface is greater than 80 degrees.

[0009] In some embodiments, the edge of the sub-reflective surface is an arc or a straight line.

[0010] In some embodiments, the sub-reflective surface is a rectangular surface.

[0011] In some embodiments, the sub-reflective surfaces of the same group of pixel units that jointly define the same reflective pattern have the same orientation.

[0012] The second aspect of this utility model provides a lighting module, including a plurality of light sources and a reflector as described in any of the above technical solutions. The light sources and the patterned reflective surfaces are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. The patterned reflective surfaces are configured to reflect the light emitted by the light sources in different reflection directions and form the reflective pattern.

[0013] In some embodiments, each vertex of the sub-reflective surface lies on the same parabolic surface with the corresponding light source as its focal point.

[0014] The third aspect of this utility model provides a vehicle lamp, which is provided with the lighting module described in the above technical solution.

[0015] The fourth aspect of this utility model provides a vehicle equipped with the headlights described in the above-mentioned technical solution.

[0016] By using the above technical solution, different groups of pixel units can be set on the same pattern reflective surface. Different groups of pixel units can form reflective patterns with different reflection directions, allowing the human eye to observe different patterns from different angles. Moreover, the structure is simple and the cost is low.

[0017] Other advantages of this utility model and the technical effects of preferred embodiments will be further described in the following detailed description. Attached Figure Description

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. 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 any creative work.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the reflector in a specific embodiment of this utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A magnified view of part A in the middle;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the pixel unit in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 4 This is one of the optical path diagrams of the lighting module in a specific embodiment of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 5 This is the second schematic diagram of the optical path of the lighting module in a specific embodiment of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the reflector viewed from a first perspective in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A first-person perspective illustration of the lighting effect of the reflector;

[0026] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the reflector viewed from a second perspective in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 A schematic diagram showing the lighting effect of the reflector from a second-person perspective.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0029] 1 pixel unit 11 sub-reflective surfaces

[0030] 12 Side connecting surface 13 Bottom surface

[0031] 2 light sources 3 mirrors Detailed Implementation

[0032] The embodiments of this utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawings are used to exemplarily illustrate the principles of this utility model, but should not be used to limit the scope of this utility model. This utility model can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the specific embodiments of the utility model described herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

[0033] These embodiments are provided to make the present invention thorough and complete, and to fully express the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement of components and steps, material composition, numerical expressions, and values ​​set forth in these embodiments should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limiting.

[0034] It should be noted that, unless otherwise stated, the indicated orientations or positional relationships in this description are for ease of description and simplification only, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model. When the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly. The orientational terminology used in this utility model should be understood in conjunction with the actual installation state.

[0035] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and similar words used in this invention do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different parts. Words such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the element preceding the word encompasses the element listed after the word, and do not exclude the possibility of encompassing other elements as well.

[0036] It should also be noted that, in the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model depending on the specific circumstances. When a specific device is described as being located between a first device and a second device, an intermediary device may or may not be present between the specific device and the first or second device.

[0037] All terms used in this invention have the same meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains, unless otherwise specifically defined. It should also be understood that terms defined in general dictionaries should be interpreted as having meanings consistent with their meanings in the context of the relevant art, and not as idealized or highly formalized, unless expressly defined herein.

[0038] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, they should be considered part of the specification.

[0039] Figure 5 The diagram schematically illustrates the reflective light path effect of a reflector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. This reflector can be used as a component of a device such as a vehicle's headlight, signal light, projection light, or decorative light. It can be used to project desired patterns, such as personalized patterns like smiley faces, hearts, flowers, animals / plants, car logos, etc., vehicle driving-related information such as vehicle speed, turn arrows, travel arrows, lanes, etc., and road construction, warning / indicator symbols, text symbols, etc., to achieve lighting or signal indication functions.

[0040] like Figures 1 to 9 As shown, this utility model embodiment provides a reflector 3, including at least one patterned reflective surface. The patterned reflective surface includes at least two sets of pixel units 1, each set of pixel units 1 being used to jointly define reflective patterns with different reflection directions.

[0041] To better understand the technical solution of this utility model, the reflector 3 of this utility model can be applied to a specific vehicle headlight. Figure 4 The illustration schematically shows an embodiment in which a reflector 3 and a light source 2 are combined to form a lighting module and installed in a vehicle headlight. The various patterned reflective surfaces on the light source 2 and the reflector 3 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. Taking the headlight as an example, the patterned reflective surfaces can reflect the light emitted by the light source 2 and reflect the reflected image onto the road surface in front of the vehicle to achieve lighting or signal indication. Figure 5 The diagram schematically illustrates how two sets of pixel units 1 within the same patterned reflective surface reflect light emitted from a light source 2 at different angles, forming different reflective patterns. This allows the human eye to observe different lighting effects when viewing the reflector 3 from different angles. Furthermore, the structure is simple, low-cost, and does not affect the overall optical efficiency of the headlight. It is understood that this invention is not limited to... Figure 5 The two sets of pixel units 1 shown in the embodiment can also be used to set more sets of pixel units 1 in the same pattern reflective surface to reflect the light emitted by the light source 2 at different angles, forming different reflective patterns, according to design needs.

[0042] Specifically, the reflective surface of the reflector 3 is divided into tiny regions arranged in an array or a certain manner. Each tiny region serves as a pixel unit 1. Each pixel unit 1 is divided into regions to form different patterned reflective surfaces. By setting the reflection direction of the pixel unit 1, the desired reflection pattern is obtained.

[0043] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, pixel unit 1 includes a sub-reflective surface 11, a side connecting surface 12, and a bottom surface 13. The sub-reflective surface 11 is connected to the bottom surface 13 through the side connecting surface 12. The sub-reflective surface 11 and the bottom surface 13 are not parallel, and the sub-reflective surface 11 is flipped at a certain angle relative to the bottom surface 13. For several pixel units 1 in the same patterned reflective surface, according to the desired reflection pattern, the sub-reflective surface 11 of the pixel unit 1 at the corresponding position is selected and flipped at a certain angle relative to the bottom surface 13 to form a group of pixel units 1. The light emitted from the light source 2 is reflected at a certain angle to form a desired reflection pattern. Similarly, the sub-reflective surface 11 of the remaining pixel units 1 can be selected and flipped at another angle relative to the bottom surface 13 to form another group of pixel units 1. The light emitted from the light source 2 is reflected at another angle to form another desired reflection pattern. For example, the sub-reflective surfaces 11 of the same group of pixel units 1 used to jointly define the same reflection pattern have the same orientation, that is, the flip angle of the sub-reflective surfaces 11 of the group of pixel units 1 is consistent or the optical axes of the sub-reflective surfaces 11 of the group of pixel units 1 are parallel. Specifically, Figure 6 and Figure 8 The images show the view of mirror 3 from different angles. Figure 6 This diagram shows the appearance of the reflective surfaces of the various patterns on the reflector 3 when viewed from the front. This viewing angle can be defined as the first viewing angle, from which one can see... Figure 7 The lighting effect shown is as follows: light-colored squares indicate that the light reflected by the sub-reflective surface 11 of pixel unit 1 under the first viewpoint enters the human eye and can be observed to be lit; dark-colored squares indicate that the light reflected by the sub-reflective surface 11 of pixel unit 1 under the first viewpoint does not enter the human eye and cannot be observed to be lit. The combination of lit and unlit states results in a lighting effect. Figure 8 This diagram shows the appearance of the reflective surfaces of the various patterns on the reflector 3 as viewed from the side. This viewing angle can be defined as a second viewing angle, from which one can see... Figure 9 The lighting effect shown is as follows: light-colored squares indicate that the light reflected from the sub-reflective surface 11 of pixel unit 1 under the second viewpoint enters the human eye and can be observed to be lit; dark-colored squares indicate that the light reflected from the sub-reflective surface 11 of pixel unit 1 under the second viewpoint does not enter the human eye and cannot be observed to be lit. The combination of lit and unlit results in another lighting effect.

[0044] Compare Figure 7 and Figure 9 It is evident that the same patterned reflective surface on reflector 3 produces different lighting effects when viewed from different angles. During nighttime driving, on some relatively remote roads, when approaching intersections, pedestrians or vehicles approaching from the side may not easily spot oncoming traffic, potentially leading to accidents. To address this, this invention uses two sets of pixel units 1 on the same patterned reflective surface. These two sets of pixel units 1 reflect light in different directions, providing illumination or signal guidance to oncoming and sideways vehicles or pedestrians, thus preventing traffic accidents.

[0045] In some embodiments, the angle between the reflective surface 11 and the side connecting surface 12 is greater than 80 degrees.

[0046] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the edge of the sub-reflector 11 can be a straight line. In order to obtain a light pattern with more uniform brightness, the edge of the sub-reflector 11 can be an arc. Generally speaking, the larger the arc, the greater the diffusion of light. Therefore, the arc of the edge of the sub-reflector 11 can be designed according to the design requirements so that the sub-reflector 11 can simultaneously meet the requirements of light collimation and diffusion.

[0047] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3As shown, the sub-reflective surface 11 is a rectangular surface, making the pixel unit 1 a hexahedral structure. Of course, the sub-reflective surface 11 is not limited to a rectangular surface and can be other shapes. Alternatively, the pixel unit 1 can also be any other suitable structure with a reflective surface.

[0048] To better understand the technical concept of this utility model, the following description is based on a relatively comprehensive set of technical features.

[0049] like Figures 1 to 9 As shown, a preferred embodiment of this utility model provides a reflector 3, including at least one patterned reflective surface. The patterned reflective surface includes at least two sets of pixel units 1. Each pixel unit 1 includes a sub-reflective surface 11, a side connecting surface 12, and a bottom surface 13. The sub-reflective surface 11 is connected to the bottom surface 13 through the side connecting surface 12. The sub-reflective surface 11 and the bottom surface 13 are not parallel, and the sub-reflective surface 11 is flipped at a certain angle relative to the bottom surface 13. The angle between the reflective surface 11 and the side connecting surface 12 is greater than 80 degrees. The edge of the sub-reflective surface 11 can be a straight line or an arc. The sub-reflective surface 11 is a rectangular surface with four vertices. The sub-reflective surfaces 11 of the same set of pixel units 1 have the same orientation and are used to jointly define the same reflective pattern, so that each set of pixel units 1 is used to jointly define reflective patterns with different reflective directions.

[0050] Compared to conventional projection solutions using digital micromirror devices (DMDs), liquid crystal displays (LCDs), or rotating optical elements, this invention achieves pixelated pattern display effects in a mirror system with virtually no added cost. Different lighting effects can be obtained by observing the reflective surface of a pattern from different angles. The order in which the pattern appears can be controlled by turning the reflector 1 on and off in relation to the light source 2, achieving a simple time-series animation effect. Visually, it is indistinguishable from a traditional mirror, but the lighting effect can be surprisingly impressive.

[0051] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, this utility model also provides a lighting module, including several light sources and the aforementioned reflector 3. The light sources 2 and the pattern reflective surfaces are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. The pattern reflective surfaces are configured to reflect the light emitted by the light sources 2 in different reflection directions and form corresponding reflection patterns.

[0052] In some embodiments, each vertex of each sub-reflective surface 11 lies on a parabolic surface with the corresponding light source 2 as its focal point. Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the sub-reflecting surface 11 is a rectangular surface, and its four vertices are located on a parabolic surface with the corresponding light source 2 as the focal point. This allows for the collimation of the light emitted from the light source 2 and enables control over the propagation direction of the light after reflection by the sub-reflecting surface 11.

[0053] This utility model also provides a vehicle lamp equipped with the above-mentioned lighting module, and therefore has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solution of the above-mentioned lighting module embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0054] In addition, this utility model also provides a vehicle equipped with the above-described vehicle lights, thus possessing at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above-described vehicle light embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0055] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, the present invention is not limited thereto. Within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solution of the present invention, including combinations of various specific technical features in any suitable manner. To avoid unnecessary repetition, the present invention will not describe the various possible combinations separately. However, these simple modifications and combinations should also be considered as the content disclosed in the present invention and are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A reflector, characterized in that, It includes at least one patterned reflective surface, the patterned reflective surface comprising at least two sets of pixel units (1) for jointly defining reflective patterns with different reflection directions.

2. The reflector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pixel unit (1) includes a sub-reflective surface (11), a side connecting surface (12) and a bottom surface (13). The sub-reflective surface (11) is connected to the bottom surface (13) through the side connecting surface (12). The sub-reflective surface (11) and the bottom surface (13) are not parallel.

3. The reflector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The angle between the sub-reflective surface (11) and the side connecting surface (12) is greater than 80 degrees.

4. The reflector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The edge of the sub-reflective surface (11) is an arc or a straight line.

5. The reflector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sub-reflective surface (11) is a rectangular surface.

6. The reflector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sub-reflective surfaces (11) of the same group of pixel units (1) used to jointly define the same reflective pattern have the same orientation.

7. A lighting module, characterized in that, It includes a plurality of light sources (2) and a reflector (3) according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the light sources (2) are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the pattern reflective surface, and the pattern reflective surface is configured to reflect the light emitted by the light sources (2) in different reflection directions and form the reflective pattern.

8. The lighting module according to claim 7, characterized in that, Each vertex of the sub-reflecting surface (11) is located on a parabolic surface with the corresponding light source (2) as its focus.

9. A vehicle light, characterized in that, The lighting module as described in claim 7 or 8 is provided.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle is equipped with the headlights as described in claim 9.

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