Lighting device for vehicles and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a lighting device for vehicles with a light source unit (1) containing a plurality of light sources (2), with an optical unit containing at least one light guide (3) which has a first side (6) at which light generated by the light source unit (1) is coupled in, which has opposite flat sides (8) at which the coupled-in light is totally reflected in the light guide direction (H), which has a second side (7) at which the coupled-in light is coupled out of the light guide (3), with a housing (10) on which the light source unit (1) and / or the optical unit is held, wherein the housing (10) has an opening (13) through which the light guide (3) extends, wherein at least the second side (7) of the light guide (3) is arranged outside the housing (10).

Description

The invention relates to a lighting device for vehicles having a light source unit containing a plurality of light sources, having an optical unit containing at least one light guide which has a first side at which light generated by the light source unit is coupled in, which has opposite flat sides at which the coupled-in light is totally reflected in the light guiding direction, which has a second side at which the coupled-in light is coupled out of the light guide, having a housing on which the light source unit and / or the optical unit is held.The invention further relates to a vehicle to which the lighting device is fastened.DE 10 2019 108 312 A1 discloses an illumination device for vehicles, which has a light source unit and an optics unit for generating a predefined light function, for example a direction indicator. The lighting device is elongated and extends on an outer side of the vehicle body. Advantageously, a light signature can be generated over an entire vehicle width. However, the body contour of the vehicle changes as a result.DE 10 2020 126 944 A1 discloses an illumination device for vehicles having a light source unit and an optics unit for generating a predetermined light function or light distribution, wherein the light source unit and the optics unit are usually arranged within a housing of the illumination device. The housing of the lighting device is fastened to a body of the vehicle, wherein a light-transmissive cover pane covering the housing of the lighting device is arranged following the contour of a body opening of the vehicle. The light source unit and the optics unit are thus always located on an inner side of the body or of the body opening.It is an object of the present invention to further develop a lighting device for vehicles and a vehicle in such a way that a signal light function that is as homogeneous as possible is provided in a space-saving and lasting manner.To achieve this object, the invention is characterized in conjunction with the preamble of claim 1 in that the housing has an aperture through which the light guide extends, wherein at least the second side of the light guide is arranged outside the housing.The invention provides a space-saving lighting device provided with as few components as possible, which displaces a part of the components into a space outside the housing. The basic idea of the invention is that the housing has an aperture, so that a part of a light decoupling component of the lighting device, namely a light guide, is arranged on the one hand outside the housing and on the other hand inside the housing or at least in the aperture of the housing. Advantageously, the space requirement of the lighting device can be significantly reduced as a result.According to a further development of the invention, an edge course of the aperture is adapted to a contour of the light guide, so that a constant joint is formed, which can serve to receive a sealing means. In this way, the light guide is mounted sealingly on the opening of the housing. The sealing means is preferably arranged on an edge of the aperture and bears on flat sides and narrow sides of the light guide connecting the latter. A circumferential seal around the light guide is thus ensured in the region of the aperture.According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, both a light coupling-in surface and a light decoupling surface of the flat light guide are designed as a narrow side. The light is thus coupled in and out at different edges of the flat light guide. The course of the preferably elongated light-decoupling narrow side determines the course of the housing aperture. Advantageously, the light can thereby be emitted directly from the light guide into the environment. An additional transparent cover plate is not required. A contour or shape of the housing aperture is predetermined or determined by the shape of the light-decoupling narrow side of the light guide.According to a further development of the invention, the light sources are each designed as Bicolor light sources. They are configured to emit light both in a first light color and light in a second light color, wherein the second light color is different from the first light color. If one light color is red and the other light color is yellow, a final / optionally stop light and a turn signal light can thereby be emitted in a space-saving manner via the same light guide. If the first light color is white and the second light color is yellow, a daytime running light and a turn signal light, for example, can be emitted via the same light guide. Advantageously, a homogeneous and light-intensive signal light functions can be generated as a result.According to a further development of the invention, a coupling optics is arranged between the light source unit and the light guide, which comprises a plurality of TIR optics elements (total internal reflection optics elements) assigned to the light sources on a rear side facing the light source unit and comprises scattering optics elements running transverse to a longitudinal direction of the front side on a front side facing away from the light source unit. This advantageously allows optimization of the light guidance, so that the light coupled in can be passed on relatively homogeneously to the light-decoupling narrow side by total reflection through the light guide. The scattering optics elements oriented transversely to the longitudinal direction of the front side have the effect that the coupled-out light is scattered in the longitudinal direction of a light coupling-in surface of the light guide, which increases the effectiveness of the light guidance.According to a further development of the invention, the light-coupling narrow side of the light guide has strip-shaped optical elements which extend in the longitudinal direction of the light-coupling narrow side. This advantageously promotes the transverse scattering of the coupled-in light. In particular with a vertical arrangement of the light guide, a horizontal scattering of the decoupled light can be effected as a result. This horizontal scattering can continue on the flat sides of the light guide by total reflection as far as the front light decoupling side and generate the lateral angular distribution of the light with light emission in order to fulfil the legal light distribution.According to a further development of the invention, the light-decoupling narrow side of the light guide is provided with a multiplicity of microoptical elements and / or microdiffusor elements and / or microdiffusor optical elements. Advantageously, the light-decoupling narrow side can thereby be perceived by the observer as an intensively luminous surface.To achieve the object, the vehicle according to the invention has the features of claim 13.According to the invention, the housing of the lighting device is arranged behind or directly adjacent to an inner side of the body opening, wherein only the light guide projecting raised out of the housing is arranged in the body opening. For example, the light-decoupling side of the light guide can be arranged flush with an edge of the body opening. Alternatively, the housing can be fastened to the vehicle body such that the light-decoupling side of the light guide is arranged raised with respect to the vehicle body opening, that is to say at a distance from a plane spanned by an edge of the vehicle body opening. Due to the raised arrangement of the light decoupling side of the light guide, the design of the vehicle is influenced as a result. A viewer will recognize the light guide more strongly if it is arranged at least partially lifted out of the body. Advantageously, the vehicle outer skin can be influenced thereby for design purposes.According to a further development of the invention, the lighting device or the housing of the lighting device is mounted linearly displaceably, so that the light guide can be arranged in different positions relative to the body opening depending on different driving states. Advantageously, different design effects of the vehicle can be achieved as a result. In addition, a targeted driving in of the light guide can be set for repair purposes, for maneuvering and parking or for specific journeys, for example city journeys.Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings.The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows a side view of an illumination device according to the invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the lighting device, FIG. 3 shows a front view of the light source unit and an input optics of the illumination device, FIG. 4 shows a rear view of the coupling optics, FIG. 5 shows a rear view of a light guide of the lighting device, FIG. 6 shows an enlarged illustration of a light decoupling surface of the light guide, FIG. 7 shows a lateral illustration of the lighting device mounted in a vehicle body opening, FIG. 8 is a front view of the vehicle body-mounted lighting device; and FIG. 9 shows a schematic illustration of an arrangement of identical lighting devices on the vehicle.A lighting device for vehicles according to the invention can serve for generating signal light functions, for example as a tail lamp for generating a tail light, rear fog light, side marking light and brake light and a reversing light and / or a direction indicator light. Alternatively or additionally, it can serve as a signal light in the nose area for generating a daytime running light and / or turn signal light.The illumination device has a light source unit 1 with a plurality of light sources 2 and an optical unit containing a light guide 3 and an incoupling optical unit 4. The coupling optics 4 are arranged between the light source unit 1 and the light guide 3.The light sources 2 are designed as LED light sources and are arranged on a common printed circuit board 5. The light sources 2 are designed as Bicolor light sources, wherein they can be controlled in such a way that they can emit light of a first light color and light of a second light color. The second light color is different from the first light color. In this way, different signal light functions can be generated with corresponding actuation of the Bicolor light sources.Alternatively or additionally, the light sources 2 can each be designed as RGB LED light sources and / or as multichip LED light sources and / or as individual LED light sources arranged directly next to one another.In the present exemplary embodiment, the light guide 3 is designed as a flat light guide. It has a first narrow side 6 serving as a light coupling-in surface on a first side and a second narrow side 7 serving as a light decoupling surface on a second side. Oppositely lying flat sides 8 running parallel extend between the first narrow side 6 and the second narrow side 7, which flat sides serve for total internal reflection of the light coupled into the first narrow side 6 in the light guiding direction H in the direction of the second narrow side 7. The opposing flat sides 8 are connected to one another via relatively short narrow sides 9.As can be seen from FIG. 2, a housing 10 of the lighting device is formed in two parts. It has a rear section 11 and a front section 12 which are firmly connected to one another. In the rear portion 11 of the housing 10, the light source unit 1 and the coupling optics 4 are fastened. The front section 13 of the housing 10 has a slot-shaped aperture 13, into which the light guide 3 can be partially inserted and is arranged with a front section 14 outside the housing 10 and with a rear section 15 inside the housing 10.As can be seen from FIG. 2, the flat light guide 8 has, in the region of an end-face edge of the rear section 15, integrally formed lugs 16 which can be connected to corresponding fastening eyes 17 which are integrally formed laterally on the coupling optics 4. In this way, the flat side 8 is securely fixed within the housing 10.It can be seen that an edge course of the opening 13 of the housing 10 is designed to be adapted to a contour of the flat sides 8. The opening 13 of the housing 10 can be provided with a sealing means, not shown, so that the flat sides 8 are held in a sealing manner in the opening 13. In this way, undesired dust particles are prevented from entering the interior of the housing 10. The sealing means preferably bears flexibly against the flat sides 8 or narrow sides 9.In the present exemplary embodiment, the light guide 3 is of plate-shaped design, wherein the first narrow side 6 and a first section 7', and a second section 7'' of the second narrow side 7 adjoining the latter at an angle, each run in a straight line.Alternatively, the first narrow side 6 and the second narrow side 7 can also extend in an arc shape. In this case, the flat sides 8 likewise extend in an arc shape. In any case, the narrow sides 6, 7 are elongated, so that a sufficiently large luminous surface can be produced despite the relatively small thickness of the light guide 3.The housing 10 can consist, for example, of a non-transparent material. The light guide 3 and the coupling optics 4 preferably consist of a light-transparent material.In the present exemplary embodiment, the light sources 2 are arranged in a row or straight line. Accordingly, a rear side 18 of the coupling optics 4 and a front side 19 of the coupling optics 4 arranged on a side facing away from the light sources 2 are elongated.The rear side 18 of the coupling optics 4 has a plurality of TIR optics elements 28 (total internal reflection optics elements) assigned to the light sources 2, respectively. The TIR optics 28 may be parabolic or conical and have a central lens.The front side 19 of the coupling-in optical unit 4 has scattering optical elements, preferably strip-shaped optical elements, in the present exemplary embodiment cylindrical optical elements 20, which run transversely to a longitudinal direction of the front side 19, so that the light can scatter into the longitudinal direction of the light-coupling-in first narrow side 6 of the light guide 3. The cylindrical optical elements 20 are arranged directly next to one another.The light-coupling first narrow side 6 of the light guide 3 has strip-shaped optical elements 21 which extend in the longitudinal direction of the first narrow side 6. For example, the strip-shaped optical elements can be designed as cylindrical optical elements. They cause a transverse scattering of the coupled-in light in the light guide material. As a result, the lighting device is preferably suitable for mounting on the vehicle in such a way that the light guide 3 runs in the vertical direction or the light-decoupling second narrow side 7 runs in the vertical direction. By means of the strip-shaped optical elements 21, the light decoupled at the second narrow side 7 is horizontally dispersed. The strip-shaped optical elements 21 thus make it possible to promote the lateral or horizontal angular distribution of the light in order to meet the legal requirements.The light-decoupling second narrow side 7 of the light guide 3 has a multiplicity of microoptical elements 22, which are slightly elevated but have a relatively small extent along the second narrow side 7. The microoptical elements 22 can each have a dimension running along the second narrow side 7 of less than 1 mm, preferably less than 0.5 mm, up to a minimum of 0.1 mm. Advantageously, this allows a luminous surface emitting intensively and homogeneously to be realized on the second narrow side 7.According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the second narrow side 7 can have, instead of micro-optical elements 22, micro-diffuser elements or micro-diffuser optical elements which have an even smaller dimension than the micro-optical elements 22.The microoptical elements 22 can be produced by milling or lasers or by means of lithography on the second narrow side 7. Alternatively, the micro optic elements 22 may be manufactured by injection molding together with the light guide 3.FIGS. 7 and 8 show an exemplary mounting position of the lighting device on a body opening 23 of a vehicle. The body opening 23 is elongated or slot-shaped and has an elongated edge 24 which delimits the body opening 23. The rim 24 is part of a body 25 of the vehicle.The body opening 23 or the edge 24 of the body 25 is designed to follow the contour of the light guide 3. For example, the light guide 3 can be held in the body opening 23 via a seal, not shown. In the mounting position, the light guide 3 is arranged with the light-decoupling second narrow side 7 raised to the edge 24 of the body opening 23 or the body 25. The area and / or volume of the part of the light guide 3 that is raised out of the body opening 23 is smaller than an area or volume of the front section 14 of the light guide 3 that is arranged outside the housing 10.The light guide 3 is thus arranged extending through the body opening 23, wherein a non-elevated part of the light guide is arranged in the body opening 23 and / or behind the body opening 23.According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, which is not shown, the lighting device can be fastened to the body 25 in such a way that the light-decoupling second narrow side 7 of the light guide 3 runs flush with the edge 24 of the body opening 23 or with the body 25.According to the present embodiment, the lighting device is arranged so as to be linearly displaceable by means of a non-illustrated servomotor, so that in special operating states of the vehicle, for example during parking or maneuvering or during a workshop visit, the lighting device B or the housing 10 and thus the light guide 3 is moved back into the interior of the vehicle body 25 to such an extent that the light-decoupling second narrow side is arranged in the region of the vehicle body opening 23 or flush with the vehicle body opening edge 24. In this way, undesired damage to the lighting device can be avoided.As can be seen from FIG. 9, the same lighting devices can be arranged in a nose region 26 and in a rear region 27 of the body 25. For the different signal light functions, only different light sources 2 with correspondingly differently emitted light colors need to be used.List of reference characters1 Light source unit 2 Light sources 3 Light guides 4 Coupling optics 5 Printed circuit board 6 1 Narrow side 7, 7', 7"2 Narrow side 8 Flat sides 9 Narrow sides 10 Housing 1 Rear section 12 Front section 13 Aperture 14 Front section 15 Rear section 16 Tab 17 Fastening eyes 18 Rear side 19 Front side 20 Cylindrical optics elements 21 Strip-shaped optics elements 22 Micro optics elements 23 Body opening 24 Edge 25 Body 26 Nose region 27 Rear region 28 TIR optics elements H Light guiding directionReferences included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedDE 10 2019 108 312 A1

[0003] DE 10 2020 126 944 A1

[0004]

Claims

Lighting device for vehicles - having a light source unit (1) containing a plurality of light sources (2), - having an optical unit containing at least one light guide (3), - which has a first side (6) on which light generated by the light source unit (1) is coupled in, - which has opposite flat sides (8) on which the coupled-in light is totally reflected in the light guiding direction (H), - which has a second side (7) on which the coupled-in light is coupled out from the light guide (3), - having a housing (10) on which the light source unit (1) and / or the optical unit is held, characterized in that the housing (10) has an aperture (13) through which the light guide (3) extends, wherein at least the second side (7) of the light guide (3) is arranged outside the housing (10).Lighting device according to claim 1, characterised in that the light guide (3) is arranged partially inside and partially outside the housing (10) and that an edge course of the aperture (13) of the housing (10) is adapted to a contour of the light guide (3).Lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that a sealing means is provided between an edge (24) of the aperture (13) and the light guide (3).Lighting device according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first side of the light guide (3) is designed as a first narrow side (6) and the second side of the light guide (3) is designed as a second narrow side (7), which each run in a straight line and / or arc shape.Lighting device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the light sources (2) are each designed as bicolor light sources and / or as RGB LED light sources and / or as multichip LED light sources and / or as individual LED light sources arranged directly next to one another, which can be controlled in such a way that they emit either light of a first light colour or light of a second light colour different from the first light colour.Illumination device according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the optical unit has an input optical unit (4) which is arranged between the light source unit (1) and the light-coupling first side (6) of the light guide (3).Illumination device according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the coupling-in optical unit (4) is of elongate design and has, on a rear side (18) facing the light sources (2), a plurality of TIR optical elements assigned in each case to the light sources (2) and has, on a front side (19) facing away from the light sources (2), scattering optical elements running transversely with respect to a longitudinal direction of the front side (19).Illumination device according to Claim 7, characterized in that the scattering optical elements are designed as strip-shaped optical elements (21), in particular as cylindrical optical elements (20), which are arranged adjacent to one another.Lighting device according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the light-coupling first narrow side (6) of the light guide (3) has strip-shaped optical elements (21), in particular cylindrical optical elements (20), which extend in the longitudinal direction of the first narrow side (6).Lighting device according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the light-decoupling second narrow side (7) of the light guide (3) has a multiplicity of microoptical elements (22) and / or multiplicity of microdiffusible elements and / or a multiplicity of microdiffusible optical elements.Illumination device according to Claim 10, characterized in that the microoptical elements (22) have a dimension running in the plane of the second narrow side (7) of less than 1 mm, preferably less than 0.5 mm.Illumination device according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the microoptical elements (22) can be produced by milling or by lasers or by lithography on the second narrow side (7) or can be produced together with the light guide (3) by injection moulding.Vehicle having a body opening (23) and having a lighting device according to one of Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the body opening (23) is designed to follow the contour of the light guide (3), wherein the light guide (3) is arranged to extend through the body opening (23), and wherein a light decoupling side of the light guide (3) is arranged raised to an edge (24) of the body opening (23), or wherein the light guide (3) is arranged with the light decoupling side in the region of the edge (24) of the body opening (23).Vehicle according to claim 13, characterised in that the lighting device is arranged so as to be linearly displaceable in such a way that, depending on an operating state of the vehicle, the second narrow side (7) of the light guide (3) is arranged flush with the edge (24) of the body opening (23) or raised at a predetermined distance from the edge (24) of the body opening (23).Vehicle according to claim 13 or 14, characterised in that the lighting device is linearly adjustable relative to the edge (24) of the body opening (23) by means of a servomotor.

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