Vehicle window with a lighting device

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle window (3) with a light-guiding layer (11) and with an illumination device (5) which introduces light from a lighting means (12) into the light-guiding layer (11) via a light coupling unit (14) arranged on the light-guiding layer (11), wherein the lighting means (12) is mounted on a carrier board (28) and a fastening device (29) holds the carrier board (28) in such a position on the light coupling unit (14) in which the lighting means (12) is functionally positioned for radiating light into the light coupling unit (14), wherein the fastening device (29) has at least one fastening dome (30) which projects from the light coupling unit (14) and extends through an opening (31) formed in the carrier board (28) and associated with the fastening dome (30).According to the invention, it is provided that the fastening device (29) has at least one clip (37) which contains a fixing unit (39) and is fixed in its functional position by means of a releasable clip fixing engagement on a fixing dome (30) assigned to the clip fixing engagement, that the carrier board (28) has a contact side (34) facing the light coupling unit (14) and a fixing side (35) opposite the contact side (34), and that the clip (37) has a holding unit (55) by means of which the clip (37) holds the carrier board (28) in a holding contact on the light coupling unit (14) which contacts the carrier board (28) on its fixing side (35).

Description

The invention relates to a vehicle window with a light guide layer and with an illumination device which introduces light from a lighting means into the light guide layer via a light coupling unit arranged on the light guide layer, wherein the lighting means is mounted on a carrier board and a fastening device holds the carrier board in such a position on the light coupling unit in which the lighting means is positioned functionally in order to emit light into the light coupling unit, wherein the fastening device has at least one fastening dome which projects from the light coupling unit and extends through an opening formed in the carrier board and assigned to the fastening dome.A vehicle window of the generic type is disclosed in WO 2023 / 031460 A1. A light coupling unit has a plurality of light coupling elements in the form of prisms in an elongate row arrangement which are arranged on an inner light guide layer of the vehicle window. A lighting means is mounted on a carrier board which is held on the light coupling unit in such a position that the lighting means is positioned functionally for radiating light into the light coupling unit. A holder projects from each prism of the light coupling unit, which holder is associated with an opening in the carrier board. The holder is formed, for example, as a pin-shaped or mushroom-shaped elevation which engages in the associated opening of the carrier circuit board and fixes the carrier circuit board with a releasable latching engagement, so that a defective lighting means, which is formed, for example, by LEDs, can be exchanged together with the carrier circuit board. When releasing the carrier plate from the locking engagement, it is not ruled out that the carrier plate is damaged in the region of its openings, in particular in the case of a locking engagement with a large locking force.The object of the invention is to provide a vehicle window mentioned at the beginning which is improved with regard to the attachment of the carrier board to the light coupling-in unit.This object is achieved in the vehicle window mentioned at the beginning according to the invention in that the fastening device has at least one clip which contains a fixing unit and is fixed in its functional position by means of releasable clip fixing engagement on a fastening dome assigned to the clip fixing engagement, in that the carrier board has an abutment side facing the light coupling-in unit and a fixing side opposite the abutment side, and in that the clip has a holding unit by means of which the clip holds the carrier board on the light coupling-in unit in a holding contact contacting the carrier board on its fixing side.Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.In the vehicle window according to the invention, the carrier board carrying the lighting means is thus held by the holding unit of the clip on the light coupling-in unit. The support board rests with its contact side against the light coupling-in unit. The clip is fastened to the fastening dome in a clip-fixing engagement and is in holding contact on the fixing side of the carrier board, with which it holds the carrier board positioned on the light coupling unit. The clip fixing engagement can be configured, for example, as a latching engagement or as a clamping engagement on the fastening dome. The clip-fixing engagement itself and the establishment of the clip-fixing engagement by movement of the clip thus take place without deformation of the carrier board in the region of the opening of the carrier board receiving the fastening dome. The clip fixing engagement can therefore be released without interfering with or damaging the carrier board if the carrier board is to be removed from the light coupling unit, for example in the event of a defect in the lighting means. The clip keeps the carrier board in contact with the light coupling unit in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the fastening dome. The carrier board is held and positioned in its installation position in such a way and the opening in the carrier board is designed and arranged in the carrier board in such a way that the fastening dome in the opening of the carrier board is free of contact with the carrier board or with an opening edge of the carrier board delimiting the opening. However, it can also be provided that the fastening dome contacts the carrier board or the opening edge of the carrier board at at least one location. This contact constitutes a positioning aid for functionally correct positioning of the carrier board on the light input unit. However, this contact takes place without deformation of the carrier board in the region of the opening.The present description uses an x-y-z vehicle coordinate system for axis and direction designations such as "front" and "rear", "horizontal" and "vertical", and "longitudinal" or in the longitudinal direction or in the x-direction, "transverse" or in the transverse direction or y-direction and vertical or in the vertical direction or in the z-direction. The x-y-z vehicle coordinate system is transferred to the arrangement of the carrier board on the light coupling unit such that the x-direction represents a longitudinal direction of the elongate carrier board, the y-direction represents a transverse direction with respect to the carrier board and the z-direction represents a vertical direction corresponding to the direction of the longitudinal extent of the fastening dome (see x-y-z coordinate system illustrated in FIG. 4 ).Expediently, the carrier board is formed in the shape of a strip or strip and has over its length a plurality of openings, in particular uniformly spaced apart from one another, for the associated fastening domes of the light input coupling unit. The carrier board is in particular a printed circuit board (PCB) which is produced from a hard material or a hard material such as, for example, a glass fibre-reinforced plastic and gives the carrier board strength.According to a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the light coupling-in unit has a contact formation facing the contact side of the carrier board. The carrier board is held on the contact formation by means of the clip positioned on the fixing side and in a parallel alignment to a contact plane formed and defined by the contact formation and is held positioned in the direction perpendicular to the contact plane or in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the fastening dome or z-direction. The contact formation is formed, for example, by a planar supporting surface of the light coupling-in unit. Furthermore, the bearing formation can also be formed by at least one elevation or rib or the like of the light coupling-in unit. The carrier blank is held on the contact formation in a parallel orientation to the contact plane by means of the clip which engages on the fixing side of the carrier blank. Expediently, the clip holds the carrier board pressed against the bearing formation with a certain prestress or holding force, so that it is secured against undesired displacement. The carrier plate is thus held in its position in a frictionally locking manner. However, the carrier board can also be displaced in the contact plane with a corresponding exertion of force on the contact formation in order to position it correctly.The light coupling unit preferably contains a plurality of light coupling elements, in particular in a series arrangement. The light coupling elements are formed, for example, in the form of optical prisms. Each light coupling element has a fastening dome.According to a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the fastening dome has a head-side fixing portion and the clip is fixed in its functional position by means of the fixing unit in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the fastening dome or in the z-direction on the fixing portion of the fastening dome in such a way that it holds the carrier board via the holding unit in abutment on the abutment formation of the light coupling-in unit. The fixing portion has, for example, a fixing groove for a clip fixing engagement of the clip. The fixing groove extends, for example, over a limited circumferential section of the fastening dome or entirely around the entire circumference of the fastening dome.According to a further preferred embodiment, it is provided that the fixing unit has a spring-elastic latching engagement means which provides a latching connection with releasable latching engagement on the fixing section of the fastening dome. The latching engagement means is brought into the latching engagement when the clip is pushed on or pushed on and can be released from the carrier board when the clip is pushed back on the carrier board in the opposite direction or when it is completely pulled off.The latch engaging means is executable in different designs. Expediently, the fixing unit contains two fixing arms which protrude from a base section of the clip lying next to one another, together form the latching engagement means at their front ends and, as parts of the holding unit, hold the carrier board in contact with the bearing formation, expediently with a certain prestressing force. The fixing arms have such flexibility and elasticity that they can deform to a required slight extent when establishing the latching engagement. However, the fixing arms can also be rigid and only a front portion of each fixing arm forming the latching engagement means is elastically deformable.According to a further preferred embodiment, it is provided that the clip has a plug-on holder with which it is held on the carrier board. By means of the mounting bracket, the clip can be held on the carrier board already before the mounting of the carrier board in such a pre-mounting position, from which it is brought into its clip-fixing engagement on the fastening dome by a mere displacement movement in the transverse direction to the carrier board. Thus, the carrier board can also already be equipped and ready-made with the clips which are required during the later assembly of the carrier board. In particular in the case of a larger number of clips, the assembly of the carrier board is simplified as a result. Expediently, each clip is held clampingly or latchingly on the carrier board by means of the plug-on holder. This ensures that the clip cannot be unintentionally released from its pre-assembly position on the carrier board. The clamping or latching is designed with regard to a force required for releasing in such a way that the clip can be displaced manually.Expediently, the plug-on holder contains a substantially U-shaped holder which engages around a longitudinal edge of the carrier board. The holder preferably contains at least one U-shaped holding leg and in particular two U-shaped holding legs arranged next to one another, which protrude from a base section of the clip in the push-on direction. The at least one holding leg is arranged on the contact side of the carrier board and engages around a longitudinal edge of the carrier board.According to a further preferred embodiment, it is provided that the carrier board has a plug-on guide on which the plug-on holder is received in a guided manner. The mounting guide guides the mounting bracket and thus the clip in the y-direction or transverse direction of the carrier board. The mounting guide holds the clip in such a defined position in which it is displaced into its clip fixing engagement by a displacement movement and from which it is moved again in the opposite displacement movement.Expediently, the mounting guide is formed in such a way that it holds the clip, which is guided in a position-variable and displaceable manner in the transverse direction of the carrier board or in the y direction, in a fixed position and fixed in position in the longitudinal direction of the carrier board or in the x direction. The mounting guide is accordingly designed such that the clip, when it is in its clip-fixing engagement on a fastening dome, holds the carrier board in the defined position in the longitudinal direction or x-direction, in which the LED unit is functionally assigned to the light-emitting surface of the light-coupling element. Functionally appropriate assignment is to be understood in particular as meaning that the LED unit is oriented in such a way that the majority of light of the LED unit is directed in the direction of the light irradiation surface. In the case of a prism as the light input element, the LED unit is oriented such that more than 50% of the light, preferably more than 70%, emitted by the LED unit is input into the light input element via the light emission surface.Preferably, the carrier board contains as a plug-on guide at least one straight guide, in particular a groove-shaped or web-shaped straight guide. The straight guide is expediently formed on the contact side of the carrier board, for example as a depression in the carrier board, in which the retaining leg of the clip is accommodated displaceably. The straight guide can also be formed on the fixing side of the carrier board opposite the contact side and guide a guide contour of the fixing unit, for example. The guide contour is formed, for example, on the two fixing arms of the clip or on the base section of the clip.According to a further preferred embodiment, it is provided that the clip and the carrier blank are held against one another and relative to one another by means of a releasable transverse fixing in a position in which the carrier blank is positioned functionally in the transverse direction or y direction. The clip is held, for example, on the mounting guide of the carrier board by means of a latching connection which has two latching elements, preferably a rib-like projection on the holding limb of the clip and an associated depression on the mounting guide of the carrier board.For functionally correct positioning of the carrier board on the light input unit or on the light input elements of the light input unit, it can be provided that at least one opening of the carrier board and preferably at least two openings are formed in the form of an elongated hole. The elongated hole is oriented in the longitudinal direction of the carrier plate or in the x-direction and is positioned and dimensioned in the transverse direction or y-direction in such a way that the respective fastening dome is accommodated therein so as to be displaceable in the longitudinal direction but without play in the transverse direction and the carrier plate is positioned functionally in the y-direction.For functionally correct positioning of the carrier board on the light input unit or on the light input elements of the light input unit, it can furthermore be provided that at least one opening of the carrier board is formed in the form of an elongated hole which is oriented in the transverse direction of the carrier board or in the y direction and is positioned and dimensioned in the longitudinal direction or in the x direction in such a way that the fastening dome is accommodated therein so as to be displaceable in the transverse direction but without play in the longitudinal direction and the carrier board is positioned functionally correctly in the x direction.The two embodiments mentioned above and having at least one slot for functionally appropriate positioning of the carrier board can be used in combination if the clip merely holds the carrier board on the light coupling unit or on the light coupling elements, but no positioning of the carrier board in the x direction and in the y direction takes place via the clip in accordance with the associated variants described.On the other hand, each of the two embodiments mentioned above and having at least one slot for functionally appropriate positioning of the carrier board can be replaced by a respectively associated variant of the above-described variants of positioning of the carrier board by means of the clip in the x direction or in the y direction.The fastening dome is preferably a part rotationally symmetrical with respect to its longitudinal axis or direction of longitudinal extent. On the other hand, the fastening dome can in principle also have an oval, rectangular, square or polygonal cross-sectional shape.The carrier board can have such a length that it extends over the entire light coupling unit or over the entire row of light coupling elements. On the other hand, a plurality of shorter carrier boards may be provided for the entire light input unit or the entire row of light input elements. Longer carrier boards can be shortened to the required length dimension. It must be taken into account that each carrier board always has the required number of openings or slots.According to one embodiment, it is provided that the light coupling elements are fastened to the light guide layer as independent, separate, preferably one-piece components. The light coupling elements produced as independent components are fastened to the light guide layer in particular by means of adhesion, by means of potting material, by means of adhesive tape or by means of a holding or clamping device. The light coupling elements are in particular wedge-shaped or formed as prismatic bodies. The light coupling elements can be manufactured from glass or from a plastic material such as PMMA, PC, PU or COP (cyclic olefin polymer) or COC (cyclic olefin copolymer), for example. A pressure-sensitive adhesive, an optically clear liquid adhesive, EVA, PVB, TPU, an epoxy adhesive or an acrylate adhesive can be used as the material of an adhesive bond. The size of the adhesive surface of an adhesive bond is thus limited to the size of a base surface of the light input elements. In particular, if the light guide layer is a glass inner pane of the vehicle pane and the light coupling elements are produced from a plastic material, the effects of different thermal expansion coefficients of the materials on the individual bonds are reduced to such an extent that detachment of the bonds of the individual light coupling elements can be avoided. The base surface of the light coupling element is in particular also a light decoupling surface via which light radiated in from the lighting means or from the LEDs is introduced or coupled into the light guide layer. Instead of or in addition to an adhesive surface, an immersion medium, for example an immersion oil, can be arranged.In one embodiment, the light coupling elements are arranged on the light guide layer, for example by means of foaming, adhering and / or injection molding. According to one embodiment, the light coupling elements are foamed or injection-molded on the light guide layer with a transparent foaming or injection-molding material such as PU, UV-stabilized TPU, aliphatic TPUs for high transparency or polyisocyanates.According to a further embodiment, it is provided that the light coupling elements are formed integrally with the light guide layer. A light guide layer made of clear glass, for example, thus contains the light coupling elements formed from the same glass material during production. This integral or integrated formation of the light input elements with the light guide layer eliminates the need for any otherwise necessary coupling or fastening of each individual light input element to the light guide layer. This also applies to light coupling elements injection-molded or foamed onto the light guide layer.A light guide layer which is produced from a plastic material, in particular as indicated above with respect to the light coupling elements, contains the integrally formed, foamed or injection-molded light coupling elements from the same plastic material or from a plastic material having a light refractive index which is the same as or similar to that of the light guide layer.The use of a plurality of individual light coupling elements, which are each formed with a short length in the longitudinal direction of their row arrangement, makes it possible to adapt to a curvature of the vehicle window in an improved manner due to the individual configuration, the individual formation or the individual attachment to the light guide layer.In the vehicle window, a single-window structure or a multi-window arrangement, for example a composite window arrangement, can have. The multi-pane arrangement comprises, for example, two or three partial panes which are arranged lying flat one above the other. Each of the sheets may be formed of glass or plastic and may comprise at least one coating and / or foil construction. A coating can be an infrared-reflecting layer and / or a low-E layer for reflecting thermal radiation from the interior of the vehicle. The vehicle window can accordingly be formed in such a way that it has an outer window and an inner window, for example a clear glass window, which is connected to the outer window by means of a connecting layer such as, for example, a hotmelt adhesive film. Expediently, the inner pane forms the light guide layer. However, the light guide layer may be formed of another layer such as a film or the like. The light guide layer can also be formed by the outer pane. For example, the outer pane protrudes beyond the inner pane on the lateral longitudinal edge of the vehicle pane. In this case, according to one embodiment, the light coupling unit is arranged on the free strip on the inner side or underside of the protrusion of the outer pane over the inner pane.According to a preferred embodiment, a cover is provided which covers the carrier board. The cover is held in its covering position on the vehicle window by means of a holding device.The vehicle pane according to the invention can be any pane of a vehicle glazing, for example the pane of a cover arranged fixedly or movably in a roof opening, a glazing of a roof module or panoramic roof or else a side pane, a rear pane or a front pane.The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments of a vehicle window according to the invention with reference to the drawing. It shows: FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a vehicle roof with an adjustably mounted cover which is arranged in a closed position closing a roof opening and has a vehicle window according to the invention; FIG. 2 shows a side edge region of the cover in a bottom view with light coupling elements arranged in a longitudinal row on an underside of the vehicle window and with a plurality of carrier boards with lighting means attached to the latter; FIG. 3 is a bottom view in an enlarged illustration of a detail of the lateral edge region of the cover with the light coupling elements and the carrier circuit board; FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a portion of the carrier board and a clip holding the carrier board fixed to a mounting dome of one of the light coupling elements; FIG. 5 shows a longitudinal sectional view according to section plane A-A in FIG. 2 of the vehicle window with the light coupling elements, the carrier board and a plurality of clips fixed to the fastening domes; FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view according to section plane B - B in FIG. 2 of the vehicle window with one of the light coupling elements and the carrier board fixed thereto by means of the clip; FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the carrier board, which is arranged on the light coupling element and is fixed by means of the clip clamped to the fastening dome; FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the clip; FIG. 9 is an isometric view of a lower side of the carrier board facing the light coupling element with the clip attached thereto; and FIG. 10 shows an isometric view according to FIG. 9 of the carrier board arranged on the light coupling element.A vehicle such as a passenger car comprises a vehicle roof 1 (FIG. 1 ) with a roof opening 2 in which a vehicle window 3 is arranged, which is arranged in a fixed manner in the roof opening 2 or is formed as a cover 4 which is mounted on the vehicle roof 1 in a movable manner by means of a bearing device and is adjustable between a closed position in which it closes the roof opening 2 (FIG. 1 ) and ventilation or opening positions in a manner known per se. The vehicle window 3 can also be a fixed part or section of a roof module or panoramic roof. The vehicle window 3 has a lighting device 5 (FIGS. 2 and 5 ) which is arranged on the window inner side 6, which is the underside of the cover 4 containing the vehicle window 3 facing a vehicle interior, and preferably along a respective edge of the vehicle window 3 and in particular the lateral side edge 7 of the vehicle window 3, in relation to its installation position in the roof opening 2 of a vehicle roof 1. Expediently, in the region of the two side edges 7 of the vehicle window 3, a respective such lighting device 5 is arranged.The vehicle window 3 comprises (see FIGS. 5 and 6 ) an outer window 8, an inner window 9 and a connecting layer 10 which connects the outer window 8 and the inner window 9 to one another and contains, for example, a laminate layer, a laminate film or a hotmelt adhesive film and optionally at least one further intermediate layer such as, for example, a switchable film, for example a PDLC film (polymer dispersed liquid crystal). The outer pane 8 is, for example, a tinted glass pane. The inner pane 9 is a transparent glass pane or clear glass pane, which forms a light-conducting layer 11.The lighting device 5 contains a lighting means 12 which comprises e.g. a plurality of LED units 13, and a light coupling unit 14 which has e.g. a plurality of light coupling elements 15. In each case one LED unit 13 is assigned to a light coupling element 15 (FIG. 6 ). A plurality of light input elements 15, for example about 15 to 20 light input elements 15, are arranged side by side in a row. The light coupling elements 15 are formed as optical prisms having a substantially wedge-shaped cross section (FIGS. 6 and 7 ) and having a wedge tip 17 directed in the direction of a longitudinal center line 16 of the pane or in the direction of the pane. Each light coupling element 15 is, for example, an injection-molded part made of transparent plastic. The light coupling element 15 has a base surface 18, via which it is coupled to the inner side 6 of the pane by means of a connecting layer 19, e.g. a transparent adhesive layer, and according to the embodiment shown is arranged on an inner surface 20 of the inner pane 9 or is glued thereto. The light coupling element 15 has on its base surface 18 a plurality of and, for example, three elevations 31, which ensure a defined contact of the light coupling element 15 on the inner pane 9 during adhesion.The light coupling element 15 furthermore has a light irradiation surface 22, which lies opposite the wedge tip 17, is assigned to or faces the side edge 7 of the vehicle window 3 and forms a lateral outer side 23 of the light coupling element 15, which extends between its base surface 18 and an upper side 24 of the light coupling element 15 lying opposite the base surface 18. The light coupling elements 15 of each of the two lighting devices 5 are arranged in the window pane inward of an edge foam 25 of the vehicle window 3, which is foamed from black polyurethane, for example. In this embodiment, the edge foam 25, in which the vehicle window 3 is part of the cover 4 of a sliding roof, which is guided on the outside, for example, contains an edge panel 26, which surrounds the side edge 7 of the vehicle window 3 and adjoins an outer side of the window or upper side of the window 27.The light coupling elements 15 are expediently fastened as independent components to the light guide layer 11, for example by adhesion, but can also be foamed, injection-molded or adhered to the light guide layer 11 as foaming or injection-molding elements. On the other hand, they may be formed integrally with the light guide layer 11.Each light irradiation surface 22 of the individual light coupling elements 15 is assigned an LED unit 13 of the lighting means 12. Such an LED unit 13 comprises one or more LEDs. The LED units 13 are fixedly mounted on a carrier board 28, which is designed as a planar strip-shaped or strip-shaped component, via which the power supply of the LED unit 13 or of the LEDs and the actuation thereof takes place. Such a carrier board 28 is in particular a printed circuit board (PCB). The substrate of the substrate board 28 is a hard material or a hard material such as a glass fiber reinforced plastic, and gives the substrate board 28 strength. The carrier board 28 is rigid enough to adapt to the contour or the course of the inner side 6 of the pane without the carrier board 28 breaking or at least partially destroying it. This is necessary in particular in the case of a curved vehicle window 3.The strip-shaped or strip-shaped carrier board 28 accordingly has an elongate shape which is adapted to the row of light coupling elements 15 of the lighting device 5. As shown in FIG. 2, three carrier boards 28 of different lengths are provided for the entire row of light input elements 15. Each carrier board 28 is fastened to the upper side 24 of the light coupling elements 15 by means of a fastening device 29. The upper side 24 lies opposite the base surface 18 of the light coupling element 15 and faces the vehicle interior when the vehicle window 3 is mounted on the vehicle in its mounting position. The top 24 is the side or surface that extends from the wedge tip 17 at a wedge angle of, for example, 5° to 15° relative to the base surface 18 and extends to the light-emitting surface 22 on the outer side 23. The size of the wedge angle is selected in such a way that light of the LEDs of the associated LED unit 13 is coupled into the light guide layer 11 at an angle which introduces the light into the light guide layer 11 by total reflection at the inner surface of the upper side 24 of the prismatic light coupling element 15.Each light coupling element 15 has a fastening element in the form of a fastening dome 30 which is attached or formed on during its production, such as during injection molding, and is essentially pin-shaped or pin-shaped. The fastening dome 30 rises approximately perpendicularly from the upper side 24 of the light coupling element 15. In each case two adjacent light coupling elements 15 are adjacent to one another, but can also be spaced apart from one another, connected to one another or else merge into one another. If the vehicle window 3 has a curvature in the direction of the row of light coupling elements 15, the fastening domes 30 follow a longitudinal line which is curved corresponding to the curvature.The carrier board 28 has a plurality of recesses or openings 31 arranged in series over its length (FIGS. 3 and 6 ), which are assigned to the fastening domes 30 of the light coupling elements 15 and each accommodate one of the fastening domes 30 when the carrier board 28 in its mounting position bears against a bearing formation 32 formed on the upper side 24 of each light coupling element 15. The bearing shapes 32 of the light coupling elements 15 lie in a planar surface or, if the vehicle window 3 has a curvature mentioned above, in a correspondingly curved surface. Each contact formation 32 is formed, for example, as a planar contact surface on or from the upper side 24 of the light coupling element 15 or it is formed by at least one elevation which projects on the upper side 24 of the light coupling element 15. Such elevations can also be formed, for example, as ribs or webs. In any case, the contact shapes 32 of the light coupling elements 15 define a contact plane 33, with which the carrier board 28 is oriented parallel when it bears in its installation position against the contact shapes 32 of the light coupling elements 15 with its side or contact side 34 facing the contact shape 32.The carrier board 28 has a fixing side 35 opposite the contact side 34. The contact side 34 and the fixing side 35 represent two mutually opposite main surfaces of the substantially planar carrier board 28. In the installation position of the carrier board 28, the fixing side 35 is the side of the carrier board 28 facing away from the top side 24 of the respective light coupling element 15.The fastening device 29 has a clip 37, which contains a fixing unit 38 and is fixed in a clip-fixing engagement by means of the fixing unit 38 on the fixing section 36 of the fastening dome 30 in its functional position (FIGS. 4 and 7 ) and holds the carrier board 28 on the light coupling element 15. The clip 37 includes a clip mount 39 that holds the clip 37 to the carrier board 28. A clip 37 is provided on at least one fastening dome 30 of the carrier board 28. Expediently, a clip 37 is fastened to each second fastening dome 30 of the carrier board 28 (see FIG. 2, not shown in FIG. 3 ).The fixing unit 38 comprises a latching engagement means 40 (FIG. 8 ) which is formed in a spring-elastic manner for a releasable latching engagement on the fixing section 36 of the fastening dome 30. The latching engagement means 40 is formed on a base section 41 of the clip 37, with which the clip 37 rests on its fixing side 35 at least in an edge region 42 of the carrier board 28. The edge region 42 extends inwardly from an outer longitudinal edge 43 of the carrier board 28 which is lateral with respect to the installation position of the carrier board 28. The transverse direction or y-direction corresponds to the plug-on direction of a plug-on movement with which the clip 37 is plugged onto the carrier board 28 and in the process is held by means of the plug-on holder 39. The snap-in engagement means 40 has a snap-in recess 44 formed in an extension 45 of the base portion 41 and sized for snap-in engagement with the fixation portion 36. The latching recess 44 is open via an entry section 46 toward a front end 47 of the extension 45. The entry section 46 has two insertion surfaces 48 which are arranged in a wedge-shaped manner with respect to one another and which are situated opposite one another with respect to the plug-on direction or transverse direction, which also represents the direction of a movement of the clip 37 for a latching engagement when the clip-fixing engagement is produced. The latching engagement means 40 further includes two mutually opposite latching projections 49 which protrude towards one another at the transition from the insertion surfaces 48 to the latching recess 44 and form a narrowing of the inlet section 46. At least the latching projections 49 are formed in a spring-elastic manner such that they move away from one another when the latching connection is produced, while they are pushed with the clip 37 over the fixing section 36 of the fastening dome 30 and are pushed apart from one another by the fixing section 36.According to a preferred embodiment, the extension 45 is formed by two fixing arms 50 of the fixing unit 38 which merge into the base section 41 at their base ends 51 spaced apart from one another and are inclined relative to one another, for example, starting from the base section 41 so that they are arranged at their front ends or at the front end 47 of the extension 45 in the region of the latching recess 44 and the entry section 46 at a small distance from one another. Each fixing arm 50 has a recess 52. The two depressions 52 of the two fixing arms 50 form the latching recess 44.The fixing section 36 of the fastening dome 30 has a fixing groove 53 for a clip-fixing engagement of the clip 37 and for the latching connection by means of the fixing unit 38. The fixing groove 53 extends over, for example, a limited circumferential portion of the fixing boss 30 facing the base portion 41 of the clip 37. Alternatively, the fixing groove 53 may extend substantially or entirely around the entire circumference of the fixing dome 30. The clip 37, while resting on the carrier board 28 with its base section 41, is pushed with its fixing arms 50 against the fastening dome 30. The fixing arms 50 contact the fixing section 36 of the fixing dome 30 on both sides at its circumference or in the fixing groove 53 with the two insertion surfaces 48 and bear centrally against the fixing dome 30 or a groove base of the fixing groove 53. During a further feed movement of the clip 37 into its functional position or into its clip fixing engagement, the two fixing arms 50 are first pressed apart from one another by the fastening dome 30 via the contact on the two insertion surfaces 48, so that the two depressions 52 come into fixing engagement on the fixing groove 53 during a further feed movement, while the fixing arms 50 have approached one another again in the region of their front ends. The two fixing arms 50 are formed from elastic material in such a way or are flexibly connected at their base ends 51 to the base section 41 in such a way, for example by means of a weakening of the material at the base end 51, that when the fixing arms 50 are pushed apart, a restoring force is generated which is sufficient to pivot the two fixing arms 50 relative to one another into the clip fixing engagement. Preferably, a restoring force is also present during the clip fixing engagement, which additionally makes it more difficult to release the clip connection.Each fixing arm 50 has a fixing edge portion 54 which defines the recess 52 and which is inserted in the fixing groove 53 in a clip-fixing engagement. The two fixing edge regions 54 of the fixing unit 38 thereby provide a fixing or fixing of the clip 37 via the fixing arms 50 on the fastening dome 30 in the direction of its longitudinal extension matching the z-direction or perpendicular to the carrier board 28. The fixing arms 50 are parts of a holding device 55 of the clip 37 which holds the carrier circuit board 28 in contact with the contact formation 32 of the light coupling element 15 in a holding contact contacting the fixing side 35 of the carrier circuit board 38. Consequently, the fixing groove 53 is arranged at such a distance from the bearing plane 33 that the carrier board 28 is held by the holding device 55 without play on the bearing formation 32 of the light coupling element 15. The distance can be selected such that the carrier board 28 rests with a pressing force applied by the holding device 55 and thus prestressed against the contact formation 32 of the light coupling element 15 or without such a pressing force.The plug-on holder 39 has a U-shaped holder 56 (FIG. 4 ) which is connected or formed on an outer edge 57 of the base section 41 and extends with at least one holding leg 58 and preferably with two holding legs 58 arranged parallel to one another towards the front end 47. A receiving slot 59 is formed between each retaining leg 58 and the base portion 41 which is configured to receive the carrier board 28 when the clip 28 is slid or plugged onto the carrier board 28 via the longitudinal edge 43. In principle, instead of the two holding legs 58, only one continuous elongate holding web can also be provided, which extends substantially over the width of the clip 37 or in the x direction at its base section 41.The carrier board 28 has a mounting guide 60 which is formed on the contact side 34 of the carrier board 28, for example, in the form of two recessed rectilinear guides 61 which are assigned to the two holding limbs 58. The two straight guides 61 are arranged parallel to each other on both sides of the opening 31 and at a distance corresponding to the distance between the two holding legs 58. The two straight guides 61 extend over the entire width of the carrier board 28 or have at least such a length that the holding legs 58 require when the clip 37 is pushed onto the carrier board 28. The two straight guides 61 guide the holding legs 58 in a displaceable manner relative to the carrier board 28 in the transverse direction or y-direction of the carrier board 28. In this case, the two holding legs 58 are positionally fixed relative to the carrier board 28 in the longitudinal direction or x-direction of the carrier board 28, since they are supported on the two side surfaces 62 of the recessed straight guides 61 in the x-direction and are held between the two side surfaces 62 substantially without play.The distance between each holding leg 58 and the base portion 41 may be of a size such that the carrier board 28 received in the receiving slot 59 is held with a clamping force exerted by the holding legs 58. The clamping force allows e.g. manual displacement of the clip 37 along the straight guides 61 when the clip 37 is placed on, but holds the clip 37 firmly on the carrier board 28 against unintentional detachment, e.g. when the carrier board 28 equipped with the clip 37 before its mounting is supplied to the light coupling elements 15 during mounting.In its installation position, the carrier board 28 is arranged on the light coupling elements 15 in such a way that the fastening domes 30 project through the openings 31 of the carrier board 28. At least two clips 37 hold the carrier board 28 in the region of the two associated fastening domes 30 in holding engagement on the respective light coupling element 15.According to a preferred embodiment, the carrier board 28 has at least two openings 31, which are formed as elongated holes 63 (FIGS. 2 and 3 ) which extend in the longitudinal direction of the carrier board 28 or in the x direction, are assigned two light coupling elements 15 and receive their fastening domes 30. The elongated holes 63 are arranged in such a position on the carrier board 28 and have such a width in the y direction that the respective fastening domes 30 are accommodated therein without play in the y direction and the carrier board 28 is thus held by the fastening dome 30 in such an installation position in the y direction that the LED units 13 are arranged in their positions at a functionally appropriate distance in front of the associated light irradiation surfaces 22.The correct positioning of the carrier board 28 in the longitudinal direction or x-direction relative to the light input elements 15 takes place via the clip fixing engagement of the at least one clip 39 on the fastening dome 30 and the support of the clip 37 on the mounting guide 60 of the carrier board 28.According to a modified embodiment, a further one of the openings 31 of the carrier board 28 is formed as an elongated hole 64, which extends in the transverse direction of the carrier board 28 or in the y direction and in which the fastening dome 30 of an associated light coupling element 15 is accommodated. This elongated hole 64 is arranged in such a position on the carrier board 28 and has such a width in the x direction that the fastening dome 30 is accommodated therein without play in the x direction and the carrier board 28 is thus held by this fastening dome 30 in such an installation position that the LED units 13 are arranged centrally in front of the light irradiation surfaces 22 of the light coupling elements 15. This slot 64 thus provides the positioning of the carrier board 28 in the longitudinal direction or in the x-direction. Expediently, in this modified embodiment, the clip 37 is held on the mounting guide 60 of the carrier board 28 with such play in the longitudinal direction that the x-positioning of the carrier board 28 is preferably or exclusively effected via the slot 64.According to a further modified embodiment, the y-positioning of the carrier board takes place via two fastening domes 30, on each of which a clip 37 is in clip-fixing engagement. The openings 31 receiving the two mounting domes 30 have such an opening size that the mounting domes 30 are received therein with play in both the y-direction and the x-direction and are not involved in the positioning of the carrier board 28. Each clip 37 is held on the mounting guide 60 of the carrier board 28 by means of a transverse fixing 65. The transverse fixing 65 (see FIG. 7 ) contains, for example, two latching elements of a latching connection and preferably a rib-like projection 66 on the side of the holding leg 58 facing the receiving slot 59 which latchingly engages in an associated depression 67 formed in the rectilinear guide 61. The transverse fixture 65 is positioned such that the clip 37 fixed in its clip-fixing engagement on the mounting dome 30 holds the carrier board 28 in its correct y position via the transverse fixture 65. The x position takes place either via the transversely oriented slot 64 which is provided for this embodiment, or via the plug-on guide 60 and the clip 37 which is guided fixedly in position thereon in the x direction.One embodiment of the carrier board 28 provides that it is formed with an arrangement of two elongated holes 63 which are outer in the longitudinal direction and center in the transverse direction and with an inner elongated hole 64 which is disposed therebetween and center in the longitudinal direction. This arrangement is sufficient for a defined and exact positioning and fixing of the carrier board 28 to the light coupling elements 15 with possibly required tolerance compensation.The carrier board 28 can be produced in a relatively long length ("endless product") with the openings 31 as a semi-finished product, wherein two openings 31 arranged at a certain distance and having elongated holes 63 aligned in the longitudinal direction and having an opening 31 having elongated hole 64 aligned in the transverse direction are contained in each case over a certain partial length. The carrier blank 28 can be separated from this semi-finished product in such a region and in such a length that the mentioned openings or elongated holes 63 and 64 are always contained.In this embodiment, the LEDs of the LED units 13 are LEDs which emit the light laterally and which thus, in their position on the carrier board 28, emit the light substantially parallel to the carrier board 28 toward the light-emitting surface 22 of the light coupling element 15, for example with bundled light beam or also in a scattering manner to a certain extent. Each light coupling element 15 conducts light radiated from the LED unit 13 via at least one reflection surface into the light guide layer 11, in which the light strikes a light decoupling structure, e.g. a print of the light guide layer 11, via further internal reflection and is radiated from the latter towards the vehicle interior.The light coupling elements 15 are expediently produced from a plastic material such as PMMA, PC, PU or COP (cyclic olefin polymer) or COC (cyclic olefin copolymer). The fastening domes 30 can be integrally formed during injection molding of the light coupling elements 15 from the same plastic material. On the other hand, the light coupling elements 15 can also be molded from another plastic material.By means of the two lighting devices 5, which are arranged symmetrically with respect to a vertical roof longitudinal center plane or window longitudinal center line 16 in the region of the respective side edge of the vehicle window 3, ambient light lighting is provided.A vehicle roof frequently has an upwardly raised curvature. A vehicle pane 3 of the vehicle roof 1, which has a corresponding curvature, can be curved in the longitudinal direction or x-direction along the row of light coupling elements 15. When the elongated strip-shaped carrier board 28 is fastened to the light coupling elements 15 by means of the fastening device 29, it can adapt itself, even if it is basically hard and deformation-resistant, to the curvature of the vehicle pane 3 along the row of light coupling elements 15 with an approximately arc-shaped deformation. The carrier board 28 is designed for this purpose on the basis of a design and material selection taking this property into account.List of reference characters1 Vehicle roof 2 Roof opening 3 Vehicle window 4 Cover 5 Lighting device 6 Window inner side 7 Side edge 8 Outer window 9 Inner window 10 Connecting layer 11 Light guide layer 12 Lighting means 13 LED unit 14 Light coupling unit 15 Light coupling element 16 Window longitudinal center line 17 Wedge tip 18 Base surface 19 Connecting layer 20 Inner surface 21 Elevation 22 Light irradiation surface 23 Outer side 24 Upper side 25 Edge foam 26 Panel 27 Window upper side 28 Carrier board 29 Fastening device 30 Fastening dome 31 Opening 32 Contact formation 33 Contact plane 34 Contact side 35 Fixing side 36 Fixing portion 37 Clip 38 Fixing unit 39 Plug-on holder 40 Latching engagement means 41 Base portion 42 Edge region 43 Longitudinal edge 44 Latching recess 45 Extension 46 Inlet portion 47 Front end 48 Insertion surface 49 Latching projection 50 Fixing arm 51 Base end 52 Depression 53 Fixing groove 54 Fixing region 55 Holding unit 56 Holder 57 Outer edge 58 Holding leg 59 Receiving slot 60 Mounting guide 61 Straight guide 62 Side surface 63 Elongated hole 64 Elongated hole 65 Transverse fixing 66 Projection 67 DepressionReferences 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 citedWO 2023 / 031460 A1

[0002]

Claims

Vehicle window (3) having a light-guiding layer (11) and having an illumination device (5) which introduces light from a lighting means (12) into the light-guiding layer (11) via a light coupling unit (14) arranged on the light-guiding layer (11), wherein the lighting means (12) is mounted on a carrier board (28) and a fastening device (29) holds the carrier board (28) on the light coupling unit (14) in such a position in which the lighting means (12) is positioned functionally in order to emit light into the light coupling unit (14), wherein the fastening device (29) has at least one fastening dome (30) which projects from the light coupling unit (14) and extends through an opening (31) formed in the carrier board (28) and assigned to the fastening dome (30), characterized in that, the fastening device (29) has at least one clip (37) which contains a fixing unit (39) and is fixed in its functional position by means of releasable clip fixing engagement on a fastening dome (30) assigned to the clip fixing engagement, the carrier board (28) has an abutment side (34) facing the light coupling unit (14) and a fixing side (35) opposite the abutment side (34), and the clip (37) has a holding unit (55) by means of which the clip (37) holds the carrier board (28) on the light coupling unit (14) in a holding contact contacting the carrier board (28) on its fixing side (35).Vehicle window pane (3) according to claim 1, characterised in that the light coupling unit (14) has an abutment formation (32) facing the abutment side (34) of the carrier blank (28) and the carrier blank (28) is held on the abutment formation (32) and in parallel alignment with an abutment plane (33) defined by the abutment formation (32) by means of the clip (37) positioned on the fixing side (35).Vehicle window (3) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the fastening dome (30) has a fixing section (36) on the head side and the clip (37) is fixed in its functional position by means of the fixing unit (39) in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the fastening dome (30) or in the z direction on the fixing section (36) of the fastening dome (30) in such a way that it holds the carrier board (28) via the holding unit (55) in contact with the contact formation (32) of the light coupling-in unit (14).Vehicle window (3) according to Claim 3, characterized in that the fixing unit (39) has a resilient latching engagement means (40) which provides a latching connection with releasable latching engagement on the fixing portion (36) of the fastening dome (30).Vehicle window pane (3) according to claim 4, characterised in that the fixing unit (39) has two fixing arms (50) which project from a base section (41) of the clip (37) lying next to one another, together form the latching engagement means (40) at their front ends and hold the carrier board (28) in contact with the bearing formation (32) as parts of the holding unit (55).Vehicle window (3) according to one of Claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the clip (37) has a plug-on holder (39), with which it is held on the carrier board (28).Vehicle window pane (3) according to claim 6, characterised in that the plug-on holder (39) contains a U-shaped holder (56), which engages around a longitudinal edge (43) of the carrier board (28) and is arranged on the contact side (34) of the carrier board (28).Vehicle window pane (3) according to claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the carrier board (28) has a mounting guide (60), on which the mounting bracket (39) is received in a guided manner and positions the clip (37) relative to the carrier board (28) in the transverse direction or y-direction.Vehicle window (3) according to Claim 8, characterized in that the plug-on guide (60) is formed in such a way that it keeps the clip (37) positioned in the longitudinal direction of the carrier board (28) or in the x-direction and keeps it position-variably in the transverse direction of the carrier board (28) or in the y-direction.Vehicle window pane (3) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the carrier board (28) has as a plug-on guide (60) at least one in particular groove-shaped or web-shaped straight guide (61), which is arranged either on the fixing side (35) of the carrier board (28) or on the opposite contact side (34) of the carrier board (28).Vehicle window (3) according to one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the clip (37) is held in a clamping or latching manner on the carrier blank (28).Vehicle window pane (3) according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that the clip (37) and the carrier plate (28) are held against one another and relative to one another by means of a releasable transverse fixing (65) in such a position in which the carrier plate (28) is positioned functionally in the transverse direction or y direction.

Images