Lighting device for vehicles

Abstract

Lighting device for vehicles with a light source (2, 2') and with a planar light guide (1, 1') associated with the light source (2, 2') comprising at least two opposing flat sides and at least two narrow sides (4, 7) connecting the flat sides, wherein the light emitted by the light source (2, 2') can be coupled into a first narrow side (4) facing the same, wherein a front or rear flat side (5, 6) of the planar light guide (1, 1') is provided with coupling elements, so that a first light component (L1) can be coupled out at a front flat side (6) and a second light component (L2) can be coupled out at a second narrow side (7), characterized in that the flat sides (5, 6) of the planar light guide (1) are mounted in a longitudinal side area of ​​the vehicle to generate a side marker light function and / or a position light function.wherein the second narrow side (7) is designed following the vehicle contour to generate a vehicle contour light function, that the planar light guide body (1) is polygonal with a plurality of flat and with a single arc-shaped edge side, , - wherein the arc-shaped edge side is formed as the longest edge side of the light guide body (1) by the upright and convex second narrow side (7), - wherein an upright, flat edge side is arranged as the second longest edge side of the planar light guide body (1) inclined in the main emission direction, - wherein a lower flat edge side is formed as the third longest edge side, - wherein the upright flat edge or the lower flat edge is formed by the first narrow side (4, 4') along which a plurality of light sources (2) are arranged at equal distances from each other.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a lighting device for vehicles with a light source and with a planar light guide associated with the light source, comprising at least two opposing flat sides and at least two narrow sides connecting the flat sides, wherein the light emitted by the light source can be coupled into a first narrow side facing the same, wherein a front or rear flat side of the planar light guide is provided with coupling elements, so that a first light component can be coupled out at a front flat side and a second light component at a second narrow side.

[0002] From DE 10 2010 006 348 A1, a lighting device for vehicles is known, comprising a planar light guide body with two opposing flat sides and at least two narrow sides. A first narrow side is designed as a light coupling surface, through which the light emitted by a series of light sources is coupled into the planar light guide body. Output coupling elements are arranged on a rear flat side, so that a first component of the coupled light is emitted outwards in the main emission direction via the front flat side. The front flat side thus serves as a "light curtain" from which light can be emitted over a planar area to generate a first lighting function, for example, a taillight function.The output elements are designed such that a second light component is totally reflected at the flat sides towards a second, opposite narrow side, so that this second light component is emitted from the second narrow side to generate a second lighting function, for example, a side marker light function. The known lighting device thus enables the space-saving generation of two different lighting functions. A disadvantage of the known lighting device is that only a relatively small light strip can be used to generate a side marker light function.

[0003] From DE 10 2006 032 373 A1, a lighting device for vehicles with a planar light guide for generating daytime running lights or parking lights is known. The light guide has opposing flat sides at which the coupled light is totally reflected towards an output narrow side. Additionally, connecting flat sides on one of the opposing narrow sides are provided with output elements, so that light can also be output from a lateral flat side. A disadvantage of the known lighting device is that the planar light guide has a relatively large installation space.

[0004] US patent 2009 / 0219731 A1 discloses a lighting device for vehicles with a planar light guide body in which parallel flat sides extend in an arc. Light can be extracted from both a front narrow side and a flat side of the light guide body.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to further develop a lighting device for vehicles with a planar light guide body in such a way that improved light emission from a side area of ​​a vehicle is ensured as a limiting or taillight function, with stylistic emphasis on a vehicle contour.

[0006] To solve the problem, the invention has the features of claim 1.

[0007] The particular advantage of the invention lies in the fact that a relatively large illuminating surface can be used to generate a side marker light function or a position light function with correspondingly good visibility and warning effect for other road users. Furthermore, by extracting a second light component via a second narrow side of a planar light guide, a vehicle contour light function can be generated as a marker or rear light, by means of which the silhouette of the vehicle can be recognized and particularly emphasized. The contour of the second narrow side corresponds to the corresponding contour of the vehicle in the side area and / or in a corner area of ​​the vehicle.

[0008] According to the invention, a plurality of light sources are arranged at equal intervals along the first narrow side, or the narrow side has optical elements such that the second light component can be emitted homogeneously via the second narrow side. For example, the distances between the light sources can be smaller in a lower region than in an upper region, depending on the contour and the length of the light paths through the planar light guide.

[0009] According to the invention, the planar light guide body is polygonal in shape with a plurality of flat edge sides and a single arc-shaped edge side, wherein, according to a variant of the invention, one edge side is formed by the coupling out second narrow side and a second longest edge side is formed by the coupling in first narrow side.

[0010] According to another embodiment of the invention, an additional third narrow side is designed as a totally reflective narrow side, which totally reflects a portion of the coupled second light component towards the light-emitting second narrow side. The light-coupled first narrow side is located at a lower edge of the planar light guide if the geometry and shape do not permit positioning a circuit board carrying the light sources at the vertical edge of the light guide.

[0011] Further advantages of the invention will become apparent from the further dependent claims.

[0012] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0013] They show: Fig. 1 a perspective side view of a lighting device with a planar light guide according to a first embodiment, Fig. 2 a side view of the lighting device according to Fig. 1 with exemplary drawn light rays, Fig. 3 a perspective view of a lighting device with a planar light guide according to a second embodiment, Fig. 4 a side view of the lighting device according to Fig. 2 with exemplary drawn light rays, Fig. 5 a perspective view of a lighting device according to a third embodiment and Fig. 6 a side view of the lighting device according to Fig. 5 with exemplary light rays drawn in.

[0014] A vehicle lighting device is installed in a longitudinal side area of ​​a vehicle, i.e., in an area parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal axis at the rear or front. At the rear, the lighting device can be used to generate side marker lights and limit / tail lights; at the front, it can generate front position lights and side marker lights.

[0015] The lighting device essentially comprises a planar light guide 1 and a plurality of light sources (LED light sources) 2 arranged in series. The LED light sources 2 are positioned on a common circuit board 3, which extends along a first narrow side 4 of the planar light guide 1. The first narrow side 4 of the planar light guide 1 serves as a light-coupling surface.

[0016] The planar light guide 1 has two opposing flat surfaces, namely a rear flat surface 5 and a front flat surface 6, which preferably extend parallel to each other and at which the coupled light is totally reflected. Preferably, the rear flat surface 5 has a number of output coupling elements, such that a first light component L1 of the coupled light is totally reflected towards the front flat surface 6 and then exits through it into the surroundings. The front flat surface 6 thus serves as a light output surface for the first light component L1 of the coupled light. Since the lighting device is mounted in a longitudinal side area of ​​the vehicle, the front flat surface 6 acts as a kind of "light curtain," by means of which a side marker light function in the rear or front area and / or a boundary or position light function in the front or rear area can be generated.

[0017] The planar light guide 1 has a second narrow side 7, which in the present embodiment is arc-shaped or concave and extends vertically. The coupling elements of the rear flat side 5 (not shown) are designed such that a second light component L2 of the coupled light is totally reflected up to the light-coupling second narrow side 7, so that the second light component L2 is emitted into the environment from the second narrow side 7. The main emission direction of the second light component L2 is perpendicular to the main emission direction of the first light component L1. The light-coupling second narrow side 7 can follow the contour of the vehicle and thus enables the generation of a vehicle contour lighting function, which is primarily intended to make the silhouette of the vehicle visible and emphasize it, for example, an edge or corner of the vehicle, and thus serve as a boundary or position or...It serves as a taillight.

[0018] According to a first embodiment of the invention according to the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 The first narrow side 4 is arranged upright. The second light component L2 coupled into the planar light guide 1 by the LED light sources 2 is emitted directly from the light-emitting second narrow side 7 after total internal reflection at the flat sides 5, 6. As from Fig. As can be seen in Figure 2, where light rays 9 emitted by an LED light source 2' are shown as an example, this light is essentially directed directly towards the second narrow side 7. Strip optic elements 8 are provided to homogenize the strip of light emitted through the second narrow side 7.

[0019] According to an alternative embodiment not shown, the second narrow side 7 can also have pincushion or prism optical elements which - like the stripe optical elements 8 - can be produced by milling, eroding, etching or by laser cutting.

[0020] The second narrow side 7 is curved and / or concave and also vertical. The light emitted from the second narrow side 7 is preferably coupled out in the direction of travel or against the direction of travel.

[0021] The LED light sources 2 are equidistant from each other.

[0022] According to an alternative embodiment not shown, adjacent LED light sources 2 can also be arranged at different distances from each other.

[0023] According to a second embodiment of the invention according to the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. The circuit board 3 with the LED light sources 2 can also be positioned at a first narrow side 4' arranged vertically at the bottom. An upright third narrow side 10 serves as a reflection side, to which light rays 11 are deflected essentially in the direction of the second narrow side 7. The planar light guide 1 according to the second embodiment of the invention is formed in the same polygonal shape with several edge sides 4', 7, 10 as the planar light guide 1 according to the first embodiment. Identical components or component functions are thus provided with the same reference numerals. The difference lies essentially in the positioning of the light sources 2. Otherwise, the contouring of the planar light guide 1 is the same in the first and second embodiments.

[0024] In both cases, the longest edge forms the second narrow side 7. According to the first embodiment of the invention, the second longest edge of the planar light guide body 1 forms the light-coupling first narrow side 4, while in the light body 1 according to the second embodiment, the first narrow side 4' forms the third longest edge.

[0025] According to a further embodiment of the invention according to the Fig. 5 and Fig. In contrast to the second embodiment, the planar light guide 1 in Figure 6 has optical elements 12 on its third narrow side 10, which in the present embodiment are designed as prism optical elements. According to an alternative embodiment (not shown), stripe optical elements can also be used instead of prism optical elements. These optical elements 12 enable improved total internal reflection of the second light component L2 in the direction of extension of the planar light guide 1 towards the light-extracting second narrow side 7, see light rays 11 in Figure 6. Fig. 6.

[0026] The planar light guide 1 is preferably covered by a transparent lens and is located within a luminaire housing. Alternatively, the planar light guide 1 can be arranged together with the LED light sources in a separate housing that can be mounted on a longitudinal side area of ​​the vehicle.

[0027] According to an alternative embodiment, the planar light guide and the LED light sources can also be integrated in a housing that is located in the rear or bow area to generate further signal functions. Reference symbol list 1, 1' planar light guide 2.2' LED light source 3 circuit boards 4.4' first narrow side 5 rear flat side 6 front flat side 7, 7' second narrow side 8 striped optical elements 9 light beam 10 third narrow side 11 light rays 12 optical elements L1 first light component L2 second light component

Claims

Lighting device for vehicles with a light source (2, 2') and with a planar light guide (1, 1') associated with the light source (2, 2') comprising at least two opposing flat sides and at least two narrow sides (4, 7) connecting the flat sides, wherein the light emitted by the light source (2, 2') can be coupled into a first narrow side (4) facing the same, wherein a front or rear flat side (5, 6) of the planar light guide (1, 1') is provided with coupling elements, so that a first light component (L1) can be coupled out at a front flat side (6) and a second light component (L2) can be coupled out at a second narrow side (7), characterized in that the flat sides (5, 6) of the planar light guide (1) are mounted in a longitudinal side area of ​​the vehicle to generate a side marker light function and / or a position light function.wherein the second narrow side (7) is designed following the vehicle contour to generate a vehicle contour light function, wherein the planar light guide body (1) is polygonal with a plurality of flat and a single arcuate edge, - wherein the arcuate edge is formed as the longest edge of the light guide body (1) by the upright and convex second narrow side (7), - wherein an upright flat edge is arranged inclined in the main emission direction as the second longest edge of the planar light guide body (1), - wherein a lower flat edge is formed as the third longest edge, - wherein the upright flat edge or the lower flat edge is formed by the first narrow side (4, 4'), along which a plurality of light sources (2) are arranged at equal intervals. Lighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the second narrow side (7) has optical elements (8) such that the second light component (L2) striking the second narrow side (7) can be emitted homogeneously along the second narrow side (7). Lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the third narrow side (10) is formed as a smooth surface or is provided with optical elements (12), in particular with strip optical elements or prism optical elements. Lighting device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that one of the flat sides (5, 6) is formed with optical elements which can be produced by printing or eroding or etching or by laser. Lighting device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the light sources are designed as LED light sources. Lighting device according to claim 5, characterized in that the planar light guide body (1) and the LED light sources (2) are arranged in a separate housing that can be mounted on a longitudinal side area of ​​the vehicle, or that the planar light guide body and the LED light sources (2) are integrated in a housing comprising a further light source that can be mounted in a rear or front area of ​​the vehicle.

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