LIGHTING DEVICE FOR VEHICLE

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

[0001] This invention pertains to a light device for vehicle; especially to a light source capable of casting a desirable illumination for the automobile.2. Description of the Related Art

[0002] Recently, in compliance with the traffic regulation, the vehicles are requested to deploy main beams, low beams, turn signals at both sides of front along with the prevailing daytime running lights (DRL) in the limited areas for headlight installation. Along with the changeable vehicle outlooks and a growing number of headlights items, the spaces for each lamps have largely been reduced which also shrinks the illumination areas. Even so, the headlight installation still need to conform to the regulatory norms on the light luminance, distribution pattern and the irradiation angle for the sake of driving safety.

[0003] Patent application EP 2101107 A2 discloses a vehicle head lamp apparatus having the features of the preamble of claim 1. In particular, the head lamp comprises a set of three light emitting elements being arranged in a row and a block that forms a hollow light guiding path for each of the light emitting elements.

[0004] The vehicle head lamp according to patent application publication US 2009 / 0290372 A1 comprises a 2x2 array of light emitting elements, each of which being arranged in the side wall of a conically shaped light guiding channel.

[0005] Patent application publication US 2005 / 0207162 A1 describes a light unit for a vehicle having in some of its embodiments a block-shaped light transmitting member formed by a transparent resin, abutting against a primary light transmitting member and replacing a hollow reflector.

[0006] Further light devices are known from patent application publications WO 2011 / 132111 A2, US 2010 / 0020561 A1, US 2013 / 0120988 A1, EP 2525141 A1 and JP 2009-134964 A.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] This invention pertains to a light device for vehicle capable of distributing an elongated narrow pattern with desirable luminance.

[0008] To achieve this goal, the light device for vehicle comprises the features of claim 1. Further embodiments are subject-matter of the dependent claims.

[0009] The light device according to the invention comprises an emitting module, a light condensing lens and a light guide. The light guide forms hollow columns defining one light incident side and one light output side away from each other, and each sides are respectively deployed with the emitting module and the light condensing lens.

[0010] Besides, the light guide has a housing consisted of at least two chassis, and each of the chassis has a number of adjacent side walls.

[0011] The hollow columns of light guide provide illumination guidance having an interior geometrically shaping the light boundary for casting an appropriate distribution pattern and waiving the element degradation caused by overheating.

[0012] Furthermore, the device of a solid column deployed in the light guide is as well a recommendation providing for a light blending purpose or as a structural support avoid an overheated deformation.

[0013] The light device for vehicle may be equipped with a modularized construct. The emitting module is arranged with a main source located at the center bilaterally arranged with two secondary elements for light compensation in order to generate an elongated distribution pattern and to provide a sufficient illumination in a confined space of the light device for vehicle. Furthermore, the emitting element may be electrically connected to a dimmer for adjusting the light intensity compensation.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of low beam device for vehicle, which does not form part of the invention but represents background art that is useful for understanding the invention. Fig. 2 illustrates an explosive view of the device for vehicle shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the hollow column of the light guide shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Fig. 4 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of the light device for vehicle according to the invention. Fig. 5 illustrates an explosive view of the device for vehicle shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the hollow columns of the light guide in Fig. 4 Fig. 7 illustrates another cross-sectional view of the hollow columns of the light guide in Fig. 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Below description proceeds following a direction of headlight projection for a better understanding by the technicians in related arts.

[0016] Fig. 1 to Fig. 3 illustrate a low beam device for vehicle which does not form part of the invention and which is arranged, from front to rear, with a light condensing lens 20, a housing 15 integrated with a light guide 10, an emitting module 30 and a radiating fins 40. The light guide 10 has an interior of a hollow column applied with a reflective film, and the housing 15 and the light guide form into an integral deployable for the light condensing lens 20 and the emitting module 30. And the radiating fins 40 is perpendicular to the emitting module 30.

[0017] The emitting module 30 has a base 31 to accommodate an emitting element 330, and the light guide 10 has a hollow interior defining a light incident side and a light output side away from each other. The emitting module 30 is mounted on the light output side and the light condensing lens 20 is deployed nearby the light incident side and wielded on the housing 15 by way of ultrasonic. Besides, the hollow interior of light guide converges in shape from the light incident side toward the light output side, and both of them are respectively responsible for the light intensity and the distribution pattern. The light beam outputs from the emitting element 330 having been concentrated and modified by the light condensing lens 20 in exchange for a uniformity light intensity in order to project out a desirable distribution pattern.

[0018] By modularizing the emitting module 30 and the light guide 10 into a light device of miniature is adaptable for a light compensation or for other illumination purposes.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 4 to Fig. 7, the light device for vehicle according to the invention is different from the above described low beam device in that the emitting module 30 comprises a main emitting element 332 and two secondary emitting elements 331, 333 bilaterally arranged beside the main emitting element 332. Three emitting elements 331, 332, 333 are disposed at equal distance on the base 31 in an elongated formation about 2 cm. The light condensing lens 20 has a quantity in correspondence with that of the emitting elements to be disposed at relative positions and arranged in alignment.

[0020] In this embodiment, the light guide 10 includes an upper chassis 11 and a lower chassis 12, and the upper chassis 11 and the lower chassis 12 can be assembled into hollow columns by the connection of their linking edges where is deployed with a plurality of protruding or indenting side walls 111, 112, 113, 121, 122, 123, 111 pairing with 121, 112 pairing with 122, and 113 pairing with 123. The hollow columns have a quantity and position in correspondence with that of the emitting elements. The side walls 111, 112, 113, 121, 122, 123, applied with metallic reflective film, constitute the hollow columns and define a light incident side and a light output side. The emitting elements 331, 332, 333 and the curve surfaces of the light condensing lens 20 respectively direct to the light incident side and the light output side of the hollow columns. The light condensing lens 20 concentrates and modifies the propagated from the light output side before projecting out a distribution pattern.

[0021] By deploying a main emitting element and two bilateral emitting elements for light compensation in order to generate an elongated distribution pattern can not only satisfy the illumination intensity but also reduce the installation area of light device for vehicle. Furthermore, the employment of hollow columns enables the light guide not only guide the light source propagated from the emitting module to process light uniformity and shape the distribution pattern of desire by the internal contour of side walls, but also prolong the life time for usage compared with the other adoption of materials such as solid-transparent plastic or silicone.

[0022] In this embodiment as shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, the hollow columns of the light guide form a closed cylindrical deployed in front of the emitting module 30, wherein the surfaces of the upper and lower chassis 11, 12 is respectively divided into linking edges and side walls. The reflective film may be applied to the side walls or applied together with the adjacent surfaces of the upper chassis 11 and the lower chassis 12. Moreover, the linking edges and the side walls of the light guide share the same boundary for sealing possible exposure, and the chassis may be made of a heat dispersion material avoiding an overheated module.

[0023] In this embodiment, the upper chassis 11 and the lower chassis 12 respectively protrude forward holding panels 13, 14 deployable for the light condensing lens 20 in help of dwindling the required elements and simplifying the assembly steps.

[0024] In this embodiment, the main emitting element 332 is a double-chip LED facing to the light guide equipped with a geometrical interior in assistance of casting a higher-right and lower-left light of distribution pattern. The secondary emitting elements 331, 333 are triple-chip LED projecting a distribution pattern with different optical lengths in order to provide a bilateral compensation for the main emitting element 332. Moreover, the emitting elements 331, 332, 333 may be connected to a dimmer for adjusting the light intensity emitted from emitting elements 331, 333 as a light compensation.

[0025] An additional explanation is that the interior of light guide 10 is a solid column for light blending and for structural supporting purposes avoiding possible overheated deformation.

Claims

1. A light device for vehicle comprising: an emitting module (30) comprising a main emitting element (332) and two secondary emitting elements (331, 333) bilaterally arranged beside the main emitting element (332) for light compensation; a light condensing lens (20); a light guide (10), deployed with hollow columns defining a light incident side and a light output side away from each other, the emitting module (30) and the light condensing lens (20) being respectively mounted on the light incident side and the light output side; and a quantity and position of the hollow columns of the light guide (10) corresponding to the quantity and position of the emitting elements (331, 332, 333), characterized in that the light guide (10) is composed of at least two chassis (11, 12), and each of the chassis (11, 12) has a plurality of adjacent side walls (111, 112, 113, 121, 122, 123) assembling the hollow columns of the light guide (10), wherein a solid column is deployed in the hollow columns of the light guide (10) for light blending and for structural supporting purposes avoiding possible overheated deformation.

2. A light device for vehicle as in claim 1, wherein the two chassis (11,12) have interior surfaces applied by a reflective material for light propagation.

3. A light device for vehicle as in claim 2, wherein the chassis (11,12) has respectively forward-protruding holding panels (13, 14) deployable for the light condensing lens (20).

4. A light device for vehicle as in claim 2, wherein the side walls (111, 112, 113, 121, 122, 123) of the light guide (10) contour the light distribution pattern.

5. A light device for vehicle as in claim 2, wherein the side walls (111, 112, 113, 121, 122, 123) are devised of protruding or indenting shapes.

6. A light device for vehicle as in claim 1, wherein the emitting module (30) is electrically connected to a dimmer.

7. A light device for vehicle as in claim 1, wherein the light condensing lens (20) has a quantity in correspondence with that of the emitting elements (331, 332, 333).