Optically effective element, a lighting device comprising the optically effective element and a device for producing the optically effective element.

Abstract

Optically effective element (20), for example a thick-walled optic, in particular for a lighting device (200), which has an input coupling side configured to couple light rays (204) into the optically effective element (20) and which has optically effective structures (22) generated within a volume of the optically effective element (20) by means of electromagnetic radiation (20), for example a laser beam, which are configured to manipulate the coupled light rays (204), for example to change a beam path or to scatter the light rays (204), and which has an output coupling side configured to couple the manipulated light rays (204) out of the optically effective element (20).

Description

State of the art The present disclosure relates to an optically effective element, a lighting device comprising the optically effective element and a device for manufacturing an optically effective element. Optical components for lighting systems can be damaged by external influences, for example, and their optical function can be impaired. Therefore, optical elements that are robust against external influences are desirable. Furthermore, the production of optically effective structures and elements designed to scatter incident light generally requires complex equipment capable of performing several different processing steps. Moreover, this equipment is often highly specialized, particularly for a specific design of the element being manufactured. Therefore, production facilities are desirable that enable the flexible manufacture of high-quality and robust, visually effective elements. Disclosure of the invention This is achieved through an optical element according to one of the independent claims. This is achieved by a device and a lighting device according to one of the independent claims. The optically active element, for example, a thick-walled optic, particularly for a lighting device, has an input coupling side configured to couple light rays into the optically active element. Within its volume, the optically active element has optically active structures generated by electromagnetic radiation, for example, a laser beam. These structures are configured to manipulate the coupled light rays, for example, by altering their path or scattering them. The optically active element has an output coupling side configured to couple the manipulated light rays out of the optically active element.Because the optically effective structures are located within the optically effective element, i.e., within the volume, they are protected against external influences and the optical function of the optically effective element can be maintained even under greater external stress. The optically effective structures can be arranged within the optically effective element in such a way that the optically effective element exhibits a predetermined appearance. For this purpose, the optically effective structures can be spatially oriented differently, or they can be incorporated into the optically effective element using adapted manufacturing parameters. It is possible to position the optically effective structure in a lateral region adjacent to the output coupling side of the optically effective element, for example, in the immediate vicinity of the output coupling side. This allows the optically effective element to retain its robustness while ensuring that light rays in the beam path after the optically effective structure exhibit only a minimal optical path length within the optically effective element. It may be provided that the optically effective element is monolithic and / or transparent. The lighting device comprises a light source configured to generate light rays. The lighting device includes an optically effective element, which is configured to manipulate the light rays, for example, to alter their path or to scatter them, and to extract them. The device for producing an optically effective element, in particular for a lighting device, is configured to provide a starting material, in particular a transparent one, wherein the device comprises a beaming device configured to generate electromagnetic radiation and emit it onto the starting material, wherein the device is configured by means of an optical arrangement to shape and / or deflect the electromagnetic radiation in order to generate at least one optically effective structure within the starting material in order to produce the optically effective element. The electromagnetic radiation creates controlled, localized structural changes in the starting material. These changes form the optically effective structures. For example, depending on the control of the beam device or the shaping and deflection of the electromagnetic radiation, various structural changes can be generated, or the spatial extent and / or positioning of the structural changes can be altered. The beam device allows the apparatus to be flexibly adapted to any desired shape of the starting material. Furthermore, a compact design of the apparatus is possible. The optically effective structure within the starting material is protected from external influences, thus enabling the production of a robust optically effective element. The electromagnetic radiation can be a laser beam. This laser beam can be shaped, deflected, and / or focused using simple methods. Furthermore, it is a high-energy beam that allows for the controlled and rapid creation of local structural changes. Additionally, the laser beam can be generated using simple and space-saving means. The device can be configured to vary the focusing of the electromagnetic radiation to generate the optically effective structure. This results in an additional degree of design freedom for shaping the optically effective structure. Furthermore, the electromagnetic radiation can be adjusted, for example, in such a way that a surface of the starting material remains intact and unchanged. The device may be designed to deflect electromagnetic radiation by means of an optical arrangement, for example mirrors, lenses and / or prisms, in order to create the optically effective structure. This enables efficient, compact and precisely controllable deflection of the electromagnetic radiation. The device can be designed to vary the positioning of the starting material relative to the beaming unit. This provides additional design freedom for shaping the optically effective structure. Furthermore, the device can be more flexibly adapted to differently shaped starting materials. This allows for the creation of a spatially homogeneous optically effective structure. In particular, this enables the implementation of a spatially freely configurable, homogeneously scattering structure. The optically effective structure can be configured to have a profile extending in at least one spatial dimension, with the device being designed to generate this profile by deflecting the electromagnetic radiation and / or varying the positioning of the starting material and / or varying the focusing of the electromagnetic radiation. This allows for the creation of complex shapes of the optically effective structure. These complex shapes or profiles can produce different optical effects. This increases the range of applications for the device, as a wider variety of differently shaped optically effective structures can be manufactured. The starting material can be glass or plastic. These materials allow for the production of cost-effective and high-quality optically effective elements, and they also react favorably to the corresponding electromagnetic radiation. The device can be designed to produce the optically active structure in such a way that it exhibits optically scattering properties. Optically active elements with scattering properties are required in many optical applications. This need can be met by the device, as it can produce the optically active elements cost-effectively and in high quantities with high quality. The device can be designed to generate the optically active structure in a lateral region within the starting material, for example, in close proximity to a surface of the starting material. This increases the robustness of the optically active element or structures against external influences. Furthermore, it results in high optical quality of the optical effect produced by the optically active structures, as these are located particularly directly below an output coupling surface. Further embodiments are shown in the drawing and the following description. In the drawing: Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a device for manufacturing an optically active element; Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of a lighting device with the optically active element. Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a device 100 for producing an optically effective element 20, in particular for a lighting device 200 (Fig. 2). The device 100 is configured to provide a starting material 102, in particular a transparent and / or monolithic one, wherein the device 100 comprises a beaming device 104 configured to generate electromagnetic radiation 106 and emit it onto the starting material 102, wherein the device 100 is configured by means of an optical arrangement 108 to shape and / or deflect the electromagnetic radiation 102 in order to generate at least one optically effective structure 22 within the starting material 102 in order to produce the optically effective element 20. The optically active structure 22 is engraved, for example, by means of electromagnetic radiation 106. It is possible that the electromagnetic radiation 106 is a laser beam. The laser beam is, for example, an infrared laser beam. It is conceivable that the electromagnetic radiation is pulsed, for example, at a rate of nanoseconds or femtoseconds. The device 100 can be configured to vary the focusing of the electromagnetic radiation 106 in order to generate the optically effective structure 22. For example, the laser beam is focused on a specific point in the starting material 102, causing local micro-damage within the material to create the optically effective structure without damaging or injuring any surface of the starting material 102. In particular, the laser beam is focused through the starting material. At a focal point, the energy density is so high that the starting material 102 forms, in particular, microscopic cracks or blisters. These micro-damages or structural changes then produce, for example, a scattering optical effect. The device 100 may be configured to deflect the electromagnetic radiation 106 by means of the optical arrangement 108, for example mirrors, lenses and / or prisms, in order to generate the optically effective structure 22. It is conceivable that the device 100 is configured to vary the positioning of the starting material 102 relative to the beam device 104. This allows the position of the optically effective structure to be freely adjusted, particularly within the starting material 102. The optically effective structure 22 can be configured to have a profile extending in at least one spatial dimension, with the device 100 being designed to generate this profile by deflecting the electromagnetic radiation 106 and / or varying the positioning of the starting material 102 and / or varying the focusing of the electromagnetic radiation 106. Complex optical effects can be generated by this profile without incurring higher production costs. It may be provided that the starting material 102 is glass or plastic. These materials are advantageously suited for both the manufacture and subsequent use as an optically effective element 20. It may be provided that the device 100 is designed to generate the optically effective structure 22 in such a way that it has an optically scattering property. It may be provided that the device 100 is configured to generate the optically effective structure 22 in a lateral area 24 within the starting material 102, for example in the immediate vicinity of a surface of the starting material 102. Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of a lighting device 200 comprising a light source 202 configured to generate light rays 204 and an optically effective element 20 produced by means of the device 100, wherein the optically effective element 20 has an input coupling side configured to couple the light rays 204 into the optically effective element 20 and comprises an output coupling side configured to couple the light rays 204 out of the optically effective element 20. The optically active element 20 may be configured to manipulate the light rays 204 by means of the optically active structure 22, for example, to alter the path of the rays or to scatter the light 204. Through this manipulation, complex optical effects can be generated by the optically active structures 22. It may be provided that the optically effective structure 22 is provided in a lateral area 24 which is assigned to the output side of the optically effective element 20, for example in the immediate vicinity of the output side. The lighting device 200 can, for example, be used in a motor vehicle.

Claims

Optically effective element (20), for example a thick-walled optic, in particular for a lighting device (200), which has an input coupling side configured to couple light rays (204) into the optically effective element (20) and which has optically effective structures (22) generated within a volume of the optically effective element (20) by means of electromagnetic radiation (20), for example a laser beam, which are configured to manipulate the coupled light rays (204), for example to change a beam path or to scatter the light rays (204), and which has an output coupling side configured to couple the manipulated light rays (204) out of the optically effective element (20). The optically effective element (20) according to claim 1, wherein the optically effective structure (22) is provided in a lateral area (24) which is associated with the output side of the optically effective element (20), for example in the immediate vicinity of the output side. The optically effective element (20), wherein this is monolithic and / or transparent. Lighting device (200) comprising a light source (202) configured to generate light rays (204) and comprising the optically effective element (20) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the optically effective element (20) is configured to manipulate the light rays (204), for example to change a beam path or to scatter the light rays (204), and to couple them out. Device (100) for producing an optically effective element (20), in particular for a lighting device (200), wherein the device (100) is configured to provide a starting material (102), in particular a transparent and / or monolithic one, wherein the device (100) comprises a beaming device (104) configured to generate electromagnetic radiation (106) and to emit it onto the starting material (102), wherein the device (100) is configured by means of an optical arrangement (108) to shape and / or deflect the electromagnetic radiation (102) in order to generate at least one optically effective structure (22) within the starting material (102) in order to produce the optically effective element (20). The device (100) according to claim 5, wherein the electromagnetic radiation (106) is a laser beam. The device (100) according to one of claims 5 or 6, wherein the device (100) is configured to vary the focusing of the electromagnetic radiation (106) in order to generate the optically effective structure (22). The device (100) according to one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the device (100) is configured to deflect the electromagnetic radiation (106) by means of the optical arrangement (108), for example mirrors, lenses and / or prisms, in order to generate the optically effective structure (22). The device (100) according to one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the device (100) is configured to vary the positioning of the starting material (102) relative to the beaming device (104). The device (100) according to one of claims 7, 8 or 9, wherein the optically effective structure (22) has a profile extending in at least one spatial dimension, wherein the device (100) is configured to generate this profile by deflecting the electromagnetic radiation (106) and / or varying the positioning of the starting material (102) and / or varying the focusing of the electromagnetic radiation (106). The device (100) according to one of claims 5 to 10, wherein the starting material (102) is glass or plastic. The device (100) according to one of claims 5 to 11, wherein the device (100) is configured to generate the optically effective structure (22) in such a way that it has an optically scattering property. The device (100) according to one of claims 5 to 12, wherein the device (100) is configured to generate the optically effective structure (22) in a lateral area (24) within the starting material (102), for example in the immediate vicinity of a surface of the starting material (102).

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