Vehicle front for a vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle front (1) for a vehicle with at least one headlight (2) and a front element (3). The vehicle front (1) comprises a lighting device (4) with a light guide (5) illuminating the headlight (2) and a light element (8) illuminating the front element (3). The lighting device (4) further comprises a light source and an adapter (6), wherein the light source is coupled to the light guide (5) and the light guide (5) is coupled to the adapter (6) in a light-conducting manner. The adapter (6) includes a light point (7) located in the headlight (2) and between the light guide (5) and the light element (8). The distance (D1) between the light element (8) and the light point (7) is smaller than the distance (D2) between the light element (8) and the light guide (5).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle front for a vehicle with at least one headlight and a front element spaced apart from the at least one headlight according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] In a vehicle's front end, the headlights and radiator grille can be illuminated using light guides. The illuminated area of ​​each headlight and the illuminated area of ​​the radiator grille must be clearly distinguishable. No light should escape between the headlight and the radiator grille. However, for homologation reasons, the illuminated elements of the vehicle's front end must maintain a specific distance from each other. This distance cannot be achieved in some modern front-end designs. To bridge the gap between the headlight light guide and the radiator grille light guide, a light bridge can be used. This light bridge incorporates an additional light source, which is expensive and time-consuming to install.

[0003] DE 10 2020 002 800 A1 discloses a vehicle with a headlight and a radiator grille with a grille frame. At least one light guide is integrated into the grille frame, with the ends of the light guide being joined and attached to an adapter element. A light source module, coupled to the light guide and containing a number of light sources for introducing emitted light into the ends of the light guide, is arranged in a housing of the headlight.

[0004] DE 10 2020 114 257 A1 discloses a vehicle with a radiator grille and a lighting device comprising a number of light sources. During operation, the lighting device emits the light from the light sources from the radiator grille into the exterior of the vehicle. The lighting device comprises a number of flexible fiber bundles, each fiber bundle containing one or more fibers and having a homogeneous outer surface for generating homogeneous light radiation in the circumferential direction of the fiber bundle. Furthermore, each fiber bundle is arranged at least partially on the radiator grille and coupled at at least one end of the fiber bundle to at least one light source, which, during operation, feeds light into the end of the fiber bundle.

[0005] DE 103 37 615 B3 discloses a lighting device for a vehicle with a light source. The light source illuminates openings provided in and / or between the outer body panels. The light source is arranged in such a way that it is not visible through the openings from viewing angles typical in normal traffic situations.

[0006] The object of the invention is therefore to provide an improved or at least alternative embodiment for a vehicle front of the generic type, in which the described disadvantages are overcome.

[0007] This problem is solved according to the invention by the subject matter of independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0008] The vehicle front according to the invention is designed for a vehicle. The vehicle front comprises at least one headlight and a front element spaced apart from the at least one headlight. The vehicle front also has a lighting device with a light guide and a lighting element. The light guide is arranged in the at least one headlight for illuminating the at least one headlight, and the lighting element is arranged in the front element for illuminating the front element. The lighting device further comprises a light source and an adapter arranged in the headlight, wherein the light source is coupled to the light guide and the light guide is coupled to the adapter in a light-conducting manner. The adapter has a light point for emitting the light coupled into the adapter to the outside.The light point of the adapter is positioned between the light guide and the light source – particularly visible from the outside. The distance between the light source and the light point of the adapter is smaller than the distance between the light source and the light guide.

[0009] In the vehicle front according to the invention, the light generated by the light source can be coupled into the adapter via the light guide. This eliminates the need for an additional light source to couple the light into the adapter. In other words, the light source from the headlight can be used to generate the illuminated point of light, or the light can be tapped directly from the headlight's light guide. Illuminating the adapter can therefore be achieved cost-effectively and with minimal packaging requirements. Furthermore, because the light point of the adapter is positioned closer to the lighting element in the front element than the light guide, homologation requirements can be met even with differing designs of the vehicle front.

[0010] The adapter can be made of a light-conducting and / or light-transmitting material. The light source can be, for example, an LED. The headlight and the front element can be illuminated independently of each other. The lighting element can be, for example, another light guide. This additional light guide can be coupled to another light source. This additional light source can be, for example, another LED. The additional light source can be located within the front element. The front element can be, for example, the radiator grille of the vehicle's front.

[0011] The terms "outward" and "from the outside" refer specifically to the front of the vehicle that is visible from the outside. The term "emit" is used here synonymously with "radiate" and / or "give out" and / or "send out".

[0012] In one possible embodiment of the vehicle front, the adapter can extend at least partially along one direction of the light guide. In other words, the adapter can be aligned at least partially parallel to the direction of extension or to the light guide. The adapter can then circumferentially wrap around the light guide, at least partially, from the outside in a direction that rotates around the direction of extension. This simplifies the coupling of light from the light guide into the adapter.

[0013] In one possible embodiment of the vehicle front, the adapter can have a first section. The first section of the adapter can, in particular, extend at least partially along one direction of the light guide and be arranged facing the light guide. The light emitted by the light guide can be coupled into the adapter via the first section. A surface of the adapter in the first section can have a light-scattering and / or reflective structure. The light-scattering and / or reflective structure can, for example, be formed by depressions / protrusions on the surface of the adapter. The light-scattering and / or reflective structure can reduce the intensity of the light coupled into the adapter from the light guide.This can affect the appearance of the light point of the adapter and / or of at least one headlight and / or the entire front of the vehicle.

[0014] In one possible embodiment of the vehicle front, the adapter can have a second section. This second section can extend, at least partially, along one direction of the light guide and be oriented away from the light guide. The light point of the adapter can then be located in this second section. Light coupled into the adapter can be emitted outwards via this second section. A surface of the adapter in this second section can have a light-scattering and / or reflective structure. This light-scattering and / or reflective structure can, for example, be formed by depressions or protrusions on the surface of the adapter. The light-scattering and / or reflective structure can, for example, scatter the light emitted outwards in this second section.

[0015] In one possible embodiment of the vehicle front, the lighting device can include a light guide aperture. The light guide aperture can extend, at least partially, along one direction of the light guide and adjacent to the light guide itself. In other words, the light guide aperture can be aligned or arranged, at least partially, parallel to the direction of extension or parallel to the light guide. The light guide aperture can at least partially block the light emitted by the light guide. This can influence the appearance of the at least one headlight and / or the entire vehicle front. The light guide aperture can extend, at least partially, around the outside of the light guide in its direction of rotation. The light guide aperture can be made of an opaque material.

[0016] In one possible embodiment of the vehicle front, the lighting device can have an adapter cover. The adapter cover can be positioned on the adapter in such a way that the light emitted by the adapter, with the exception of the light source, is blocked from the outside. The adapter cover can be made of an opaque material. The adapter cover ensures that the light emitted by or coupled into the adapter is not visible from the outside, except for the light source. To leave the light source open to the outside, the adapter cover can have a corresponding opening or recess. Through this opening or recess in the adapter cover, the light emitted at the light source of the adapter can then visibly exit to the outside.

[0017] If the lighting device includes a light guide aperture and an adapter aperture, the adapter aperture and the light guide aperture can be designed in the form of a one-piece aperture or an aperture made from a single piece of material.

[0018] In one possible embodiment of the vehicle front, the lighting device can include a diffusing element. The diffusing element can extend, at least partially, along one direction of the light guide, adjacent to the light guide, and be coupled to the light guide in a light-conducting manner. Through this light-conducting coupling, the light emitted by the light guide can then be scattered outwards by means of the diffusing element. This can influence the appearance of the at least one headlight and / or the entire vehicle front. The diffusing element can, in particular, be made of a light-conducting and / or light-transmitting material.

[0019] In one possible embodiment of the vehicle front, the diffuser element and / or the adapter and / or the light guide cover and / or the adapter cover can be designed as a two-component injection-molded part. This eliminates the need for assembly and fixing of the diffuser element and / or the adapter and / or the light guide cover and / or the adapter cover to one another.

[0020] Further important features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, the drawings and the associated description of the figures based on the drawings.

[0021] It is understood that the features mentioned above and those to be explained below can be used not only in the combination specified, but also in other combinations or on their own, without leaving the scope of the present invention.

[0022] Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description, wherein identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar or functionally identical components.

[0023] They show, each schematically Fig. 1 a front view of a vehicle front according to the invention with a lighting device; Fig. 2 a sectional view of the lighting device of the vehicle front according to the invention in a first embodiment; Fig. 3 a view of the lighting device of the vehicle front according to the invention in a second embodiment.

[0024] Fig. Figure 1 shows a front view of a vehicle front 1 according to the invention. The vehicle front 1 comprises – only one of which is shown here – a headlight 2 and a front element 3. In this embodiment, the front element 3 is a radiator grille of the vehicle front 1. The headlight 2 and the front element 3 are arranged at a distance from each other. Furthermore, the vehicle front 1 comprises a lighting device 4 with a light guide 5, a light source (not shown here), and an adapter 6. The light guide 5 is coupled to the light source, and the adapter 6 is coupled to the light guide 5 in a light-conducting manner. Therefore, an additional light source for illuminating the adapter 6 is not necessary.

[0025] The light guide 5 is arranged in the headlight 2 and illuminates the headlight 2 outwards. The adapter 6 is arranged in the same way in the headlight 2 and includes a light point 7 from which the light coupled into the adapter 6 can exit outwards. When the front of the vehicle 1 is illuminated, the light guide 5 and the light point 7 are illuminated outwards, and the light emitted by the light guide 5 and the light point 7 is visible from the outside.

[0026] Furthermore, the lighting device 4 includes a lighting element 8 for illuminating the front element 3. The lighting element 8 is a further light guide and is coupled to another light source (not shown here) via a light-guiding connection. The lighting element 8 is arranged within the front element 3 and illuminates the front element 3. When the vehicle front 1 is illuminated, the lighting element 8 shines outwards, and the light emitted by the lighting element 8 is visible from the outside.

[0027] The adapter 6 is arranged in the headlight 2 such that the light point 7 is located between the light guide 5 and the light element 8. The distance D1 between the light element 8 and the light point 7 of the adapter 6 is smaller than the distance D2 between the light element 8 and the light guide 5. Because the distance D1 is smaller than the distance D2, the homologation requirements can be met even with differently designed headlights 2, or regardless of the arrangement of the light guide 5 in the headlight 2.

[0028] Fig. Figure 2 shows a sectional view of the lighting device 4 of the vehicle front 1 according to the invention on the adapter 6. The lighting device 4 is shown here in a first embodiment. As can be seen here, the adapter 6 extends section by section along a direction ER of extension of the light guide 5. The adapter 6 is flexible in its position on the light guide 5. The adapter 6 surrounds the light guide 5 section by section from the outside in a direction UR that circumferentially surrounds the direction ER. Furthermore, the adapter 6 comprises a light-scattering and / or reflecting first section 9a and a light-scattering and / or reflecting second section 9b.

[0029] Sections 9a and 9b extend along the direction of extension ER and are spaced apart from each other. The first section 9a faces the optical fiber 5, and the second section 9b faces away from the optical fiber 5. A light-scattering and / or reflecting structure 11a or 11b is formed on a surface 10a or 10b of each section 9a or 9b, respectively. The structures 11a and 11b can differ from each other or be identical. At the first section 9a, light from the optical fiber 5 is coupled into the adapter 6, and at the second section 9b, the light coupled into the adapter 6 is coupled outwards. The second section 9b thus forms the light point 7 of the adapter 6.The structure 11a in the first section 9a allows the intensity of the light coupled into the adapter 6 by the light guide 9 to be reduced, so that the intensity of the light exiting at the light point 7 of the adapter 6 is also reduced.

[0030] Furthermore, the lighting device 4 includes a shutter 12 that circumferentially surrounds the light guide 5 and the adapter 6 in the direction of rotation UR from the outside. This allows the light emitted by the light guide 5 and the adapter 6 to be at least partially blocked outwards. The shutter 12 is designed such that the light point 7 remains open to the outside, so that the light point 7 on the headlight 2 remains visible from the outside. A reflector 13 can also deflect the light emitted by the light guide 5.

[0031] Fig. Figure 3 shows a view of the lighting device 4 of the vehicle front 1 according to the invention. The lighting device 4 is shown here in a second embodiment. The elements of the lighting device 4 that are not immediately visible are shown here with dotted lines. As in Fig. As can be seen in Figure 3, the lighting device 4 includes a diffuser element 14, which is arranged outwards in front of the light guide 5. The diffuser element 14 is coupled to the light guide 5 and directs the light emitted by the light guide 5 outwards to illuminate the headlight 2. Depending on the design of the diffuser element 14, the appearance of the headlight 2 can be adapted.

[0032] Furthermore, in Fig.Figure 3 shows that the aperture 12 is composed of an adapter aperture 15 and a light guide aperture 16. The adapter aperture 15 is positioned outwards in front of the adapter 6 and blocks the light emitted by the adapter 6. The adapter aperture 15 includes an opening 17 that allows the light point 7 of the adapter 6 to open outwards. The light guide aperture 16 is aligned parallel to the light guide 5 and blocks the light emitted by the light guide 5 so that the light from the light guide 5 can only exit to the outside through the diffusing element 14.

[0033] In the embodiment shown here, the adapter 6, the diffuser element 14, the adapter cover 15, and the light guide cover 16 are formed as a single two-component injection-molded part 18 using a two-component injection molding process. For this purpose, the adapter cover 15 and the light guide cover 16 can first be injection-molded from the same opaque material or plastic, and then the adapter 6 and the diffuser element 14 from the same light-conducting and / or translucent material or plastic. This reduces the insertion and assembly time and the additional joining of the individual elements. It also minimizes friction and, if applicable, abrasion of the individual elements against each other during operation.

Claims

[1] Vehicle front (1) for a vehicle with at least one headlight (2) and a front element (3) spaced apart from the at least one headlight (2), - wherein the vehicle front (1) has a lighting device (4) with a light guide (5) and a lighting element (8), - wherein the light guide (5) is arranged in the at least one front headlight (2) for illuminating the at least one front headlight (2) and the light element (8) is arranged in the front element (3) for illuminating the front element (3), - wherein the lighting device (4) has a light source and the light source is coupled to the light guide (5) in a light-conducting manner, characterized by , - that the lighting device (4) has an adapter (6) arranged in the front headlight (2) and the adapter (6) is coupled to the light guide (5) in a light-conducting manner, - that the adapter (6) has a light point (7) for emitting the light coupled into the adapter (6) to the outside, - that the light point (7) of the adapter (6) is arranged between the light guide (5) and the light element (8), and - that a distance (D1) between the light element (8) and the light point (7) of the adapter (6) is smaller than a distance (D2) between the light element (8) and the light guide (5). [2] Vehicle front (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , - that the adapter (6) extends at least section by section along a direction of extension (ER) of the optical fiber (5), and - that the adapter (6) surrounds the light guide (5) at least section by section from the outside in a circumferential direction (UR) that circumferentially surrounds the extension direction (ER). [3] Vehicle front (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , - that the adapter (6) has a first section (9a) and the first section (9a) extends at least section by section along a direction of extension (ER) of the optical fiber (5), and - that the first section (9a) is arranged facing the light guide (5) so that the light emitted by the light guide (5) can be coupled into the adapter (6) at the first section (9a) of the adapter (6). [4] Vehicle front (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , - that the adapter (6) has a second section (9b) and the second section (9b) extends at least section by section along a direction of extension (ER) of the optical fiber (5), and - that the second section (9b) is arranged facing away from the light guide (5) and the light point location (7) of the adapter (6) is formed in the second section (9b) of the adapter (6). [5] Vehicle front (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized by , - that a surface (10a) of the adapter (6) in the first section (9a) has a light-scattering and / or reflective structure (11a) so that the intensity of the light coupled from the light guide (5) into the adapter (6) can be reduced, and / or - that a surface (10b) of the adapter (6) in the second section (9b) has a light-scattering and / or reflecting structure (9b). [6] Vehicle front (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the lighting device (4) has a light guide aperture (16) and the light guide aperture (16) extends at least sectionally along a direction of extension (ER) of the light guide (5) adjacent to the light guide (5) in such a way that the light emitted by the light guide (5) can be at least partially blocked outwards. [7] Vehicle front (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the lighting device (4) has an adapter cover (15) and the adapter cover (15) is arranged on the adapter (6) in such a way that the light emitted by the adapter (6) can be at least partially blocked outwards, with the exception of the light point (7). [8] Vehicle front (1) according to claims 6 and 7, characterized by , that the adapter aperture (15) and the light guide aperture (16) are designed in the form of a one-piece aperture (12). [9] Vehicle front (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , - that the lighting device (4) has a diffusing element (14) and the diffusing element (14) extends at least sectionally along a direction of extension (ER) of the light guide (5) adjacent to the light guide (5), and - that the scattering element (14) is coupled to the light guide (5) in such a way that the light emitted by the light guide (5) can be emitted to the outside via the scattering element (14). [10] Vehicle front (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the diffusing element (14) and / or the adapter (6) and / or the light guide cover (16) and / or the adapter cover (15) are formed in the form of a two-component injection molded part (18).

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