Lighting device for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one diaphragm
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2023720852
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-04-20
- Filing Date
- 2023-04-19
- Publication Date
- 2025-02-26
AI Technical Summary
Conventional motor vehicle lighting devices suffer from geometric aberrations in light beams due to lens systems, which are compensated by opaque diaphragms, resulting in dark areas and a non-uniform appearance.
Incorporating transparent or translucent diaphragms between the collector and lens to deflect aberrant light beams, allowing them to pass through and refract stray light away from the lens, thereby eliminating aberrations and enhancing the visual appearance.
The solution effectively limits geometric aberrations, achieving a uniform and compact lens design with improved visual aesthetics by deflecting stray light rays using transparent or translucent diaphragms.
Smart Images
Figure 1.1
Abstract
Description
Description Title of the invention: Lighting device for a motor vehicle comprising at least one diaphragm Technical field.
[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of lighting devices for vehicles. It finds a particular, but not limited, application in motor vehicles. Prior art.
[0002] In the automotive field, it is generally known to use lighting devices comprising a plurality of light modules, each comprising a light source, a collector with a reflective surface, the device comprising a common lens type projection optical system for the plurality of light modules, the common lens imaging each of the reflective surfaces of the collectors to form a light beam with a superior cutoff.
[0003] The lens introduces geometric aberrations into the light beams, causing distortion of the vertical beam cutoff. These aberrations are compensated for by opaque diaphragms positioned on either side of the light beam, between the collectors and the lens. However, these opaque diaphragms create dark areas within the light device when viewed externally, negatively impacting its visual appearance.
[0004] The invention is therefore situated within this context and seeks to resolve all the aforementioned drawbacks. Thus, the invention aims to provide a lighting device in which geometric aberrations are limited while allowing for a lens with a homogeneous illuminated appearance and compact dimensions. Presentation of the invention.
[0005] The invention relates to a lighting device for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one lighting module, each lighting module comprising a plurality of first light sources capable of emitting light and at least one collector comprising a reflective surface arranged to collect and reflect light emitted by said first light sources into a light beam; a lens associated with said lighting module, arranged to project the light beam reflected by the collector of said lighting module, said lens being arranged to form on the road an image of the reflective surface of the collector of said lighting module; at least one transparent or translucent diaphragm having an incidence face capable of receiving a portion of said light beam reflected by the collector of said lighting module and arranged to refract said received portion in a direction away from said lens.
[0006] The transparent or translucent diaphragm allows the light beam to pass through it. The diaphragm can thus be positioned between the collector and the lens, along the optical path of the light beam. The diaphragm can be arranged so that a portion of the light beam reflected by the collector can reach the incidence face, and the incidence face can refract that portion of the beam towards a direction away from the lens. Thus, the aberrations formed in the light beam resulting from the projection of that portion of the beam by the lens are eliminated by the deviation of that portion of the light beam by the incidence face of the collector.
[0007] Furthermore, since the diaphragm is transparent or translucent, it improves the visual appearance of the lighting device.
[0008] Advantageously, each first light source is capable of emitting an elementary light beam, the collector comprises a plurality of portions, the reflective surface of each portion being arranged to reflect one of the elementary light beams in an elementary reflection direction passing through the lens, a portion, called parasitic, of at least one of the elementary light beams is capable of reaching a lateral end zone of the lens.
[0009] Advantageously, said diaphragm incidence surface is arranged to intercept said parasitic portion in order to refract it in a direction of refraction departing laterally from the elementary reflection direction and from said lateral end zone of the lens.
[0010] Each collector can have twelve sections; thus, the light module can have twelve primary light sources. The lens can be a single unit and associated with the collector containing the twelve sections.
[0011] Advantageously, the lens is arranged to project the elementary light beam reflected by one or each of the portions of the collector and the lens is arranged to form on the road an image of the reflective surface of this or each portion of the collector.
[0012] If necessary, the lens may have a focal plane; for example, it may be a cylindrical lens. The lens may be arranged so that this focal plane passes through an edge of each of the collector segments, and in particular, a rear edge of these segments. Specifically, the focal plane passing through a rear edge of the collector segments means that the focal plane is located less than 10 mm from the rear edge of the collector segments. Therefore, the lens can form a light segment from the elementary light beam. This light segment may have vertical cuts, and preferably a horizontal cut at the top. The set of elementary light beams reflected by the collector forms the reflected beam.
[0013] The stray portion of one of the elementary light beams contains stray light rays that may be projected from the lateral end zone of the lens, outside the light segment formed by the lens from the elementary light beam, and delimited by the vertical cuts. The stray light rays may be of and other parts of the lens so that they are likely to be projected from each lateral end area of the lens.
[0014] The lateral end zones of the lens can be vertical in one lens position. In another embodiment, the lens can be rotated so that the lateral end zones of the lens can be horizontal.
[0015] The light module may include an optical axis, defined by the overall direction of projection of the light beam by the lens. The incidence face of the diaphragm may be arranged to refract the parasitic portion in a direction of refraction that deviates from the elementary reflection direction relative to the optical axis.
[0016] Advantageously, the diaphragm has a deflection face facing the incidence face and arranged to deflect said parasitic portion refracted by the incidence face in a direction of deflection that deviates more from the elementary reflection direction than the refraction direction.
[0017] The angle formed between the optical axis and the elementary reflection direction may be less than the angle formed between the optical axis and the refraction direction, which itself may be less than the angle formed between the optical axis and the deviation direction.
[0018] The incidence face and the deviation face can form a prism, said prism being able to define in particular a distal portion of the diaphragm.
[0019] Advantageously, the incidence and deviation faces are arranged so that said refracted parasitic portion is refracted or reflected by the deviation face.
[0020] The refracted parasitic portion can be deflected in front of the prism. The parasitic portion can be deflected behind the prism.
[0021] Advantageously, the diaphragm has an inner lateral surface comprising said incidence face and extending from a lateral edge of the collector to said incidence face, the incidence face forming an angle with the rest of the inner lateral surface.
[0022] The inner lateral surface can form an inner side of the diaphragm, said inner lateral surface being able to face inwards towards the light module. The lateral surface may or may not be attached to a lateral edge of the collector.
[0023] The diaphragm's incidence face can form an outward angle, that is, an angle between 0 and 180°, with the rest of the inner lateral surface. The diaphragm's incidence face can also form a re-entrant angle, that is, an angle between 180 and 360°. Using a re-entrant angle incidence face can prevent total internal refraction of the non-parasitic portion of the beam on the lateral surface.
[0024] Advantageously, the light module includes an absorber arranged to absorb said refracted parasitic portion.
[0025] The absorber can be adapted to absorb the deflected unwanted portion. The absorber can be adapted to absorb the reflected unwanted portion. The absorber can be adapted to absorb the refracted unwanted portion.
[0026] Advantageously, the diaphragm has an outer lateral surface opposite the inner lateral surface, said absorber being arranged opposite the outer lateral surface.
[0027] The outer lateral surface can form an outer side of the diaphragm, said outer lateral surface being able to be oriented towards the outside of the light module.
[0028] The inner lateral surface and the outer lateral surface can be connected to each other by the deviating face. The deviating face can thus form a distal lateral surface of the diaphragm. The outer lateral surface and the inner lateral surface, with the exception of the incidence face of said inner lateral surface, can be substantially parallel to each other.
[0029] The diaphragm's lateral surface can be flat, allowing the absorber to be positioned close to this flat surface. For example, an air gap could be provided between the flat surface and the absorber.
[0030] Advantageously, the light module comprises two transparent or translucent diaphragms, arranged on either side of the collector and each having an incidence face capable of receiving a part of said light beam reflected by the collector of said light module and arranged to refract said received part in a direction away from said lens.
[0031] The two diaphragms can be symmetrical. For example, both diaphragms can have an incidence face with a salient angle. Alternatively, both diaphragms can have an incidence face with a re-entrant angle.
[0032] In another embodiment, the two diaphragms may be asymmetrical. For example, one of the diaphragms may have an incidence face with a salient angle and the other diaphragm may have an incidence face with a re-entrant angle.
[0033] The two diaphragms are arranged so that the portion of the light beam received by the incidence face of one of the diaphragms can be deflected in a direction opposite to that of the portion of the light beam received by the incidence face of the other of the diaphragms.
[0034] Advantageously, the light module includes a second light source positioned opposite an entrance face of said diaphragm and capable of emitting light into said diaphragm, the diaphragm being arranged so that said light emitted by the second light source propagates, by total internal reflection on the internal walls of the diaphragm, to an exit face of said diaphragm arranged opposite said lens of the light module.
[0035] The lighting device includes a control unit capable of selectively activating the first light sources, for example in response to an instruction to emit a given light beam received by the control unit. The control unit can, for example activate all of the plurality of first light sources or only a part of the plurality of first light sources.
[0036] The lighting control unit can be configured to simultaneously activate the second light source with one, several, or all of the first light sources. The lighting control unit can also be configured to control the second light source to emit light at a lower intensity than the first light sources.
[0037] The lighting module may include a third light source such that the second light source can be positioned opposite the entrance face of one of the diaphragms and the third light source can be positioned opposite the entrance face of the other diaphragm. The lighting device's control unit may be configured to activate the third light source simultaneously with the first two light sources. The third light source may emit light with a lower intensity than the first two light sources, thus having a similar intensity to the second light source.
[0038] The exit face of the diaphragm arranged opposite said lens can be confused with the deviation face.
[0039] Advantageously, the diaphragm has a lower surface comprising said entrance face and an upper surface comprising a coupling face arranged to deflect and couple said light emitted by the second light source into the diaphragm.
[0040] The upper surface and the lower surface, with the exception of the inlet face and the coupling face, can be substantially parallel to each other.
[0041] The coupling face of the upper surface may have a parabolic profile focused on the second light source or on an entry point of the diaphragm's entrance face. In another embodiment, the coupling face of the upper surface may have an elliptical profile.
[0042] Advantageously, the plurality of first light sources and the second light source are mounted on the same support. If necessary, the third light source can also be mounted on this same support.
[0043] The mounting bracket can be a single printed circuit board. This printed circuit board can also include the collector and the two diaphragms. The control unit can be mounted on this printed circuit board. Brief description of the figures.
[0044] Other advantages and features of the present invention are now described by means of purely illustrative and in no way limiting examples of the scope of the invention, and from the accompanying drawings, in which the various figures represent:
[0045] [Fig. 1] schematically represents a perspective view of a lighting device according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0046] [Fig. 2] schematically represents a top view of a lighting device according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0047] [Fig. 3] schematically represents a profile view of a lighting device according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0048] [Fig. 4] schematically represents a top view of a lighting device and part of a light beam according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0049] [Fig. 5] schematically represents a top view of a lighting device and part of a light beam according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0050] In the description that follows, identical elements, by structure or by function, appearing on different figures retain, unless otherwise specified, the same references. Description of the implementation methods.
[0051] Figure 1 shows a lighting device 1 of a motor vehicle according to a particular embodiment of the invention. This lighting device 1 is described in relation to Figure 2 and Figure 3. The deflection of a portion of a light beam emanating from the lighting device 1 is described in Figures 4 and 5.
[0052] The lighting system 1 of a motor vehicle described in [Fig. 1] and [Fig. 2] comprises a lighting module 10 having a plurality of first light sources 100 capable of emitting light and a collector 101 having twelve portions 101.1, each portion being associated with one of the first light sources 100. Each portion 101.1 of the collector 101 has a reflective surface arranged to collect and reflect the light emitted by said first light source 100 associated with it, into an elementary light beam. The set of elementary light beams reflected by each portion 101.1 of the collector 101 forms a light beam.
[0053] The lighting device 1 includes a lens 11 associated with the lighting module 10. The lens 11 is arranged so that each portion 101.1 of collector 101 reflects the elementary light beam in an elementary reflection direction passing through said lens 11. The lens 11 is arranged to project the light beam reflected by the collector 101 from the lighting module 10. The lens 11 is arranged to form on the road an image of the reflective surface of each portion 101.1 of collector 101.
[0054] In particular, the lens 11 has a focal plane passing through a rear edge of the portions 101.1 of the collector 101, that is to say located at a distance of less than 10 mm from a rear edge of the portions 101.1 of the collector 101.
[0055] The lens 11 comprises a first lia and a second end 11b forming lateral end zones of said lens 11.
[0056] The light device 1 has an optical axis defined by the overall direction of projection of the light beam by the lens 11.
[0057] A portion of the light beam may reach one of the ends 11a, 11b of the lens 11; this portion is called parasitic. The parasitic portion of the light beam contains stray light rays A that may be projected from one of the lateral end zones of the lens 11.
[0058] The light-emitting device 1 comprises two transparent diaphragms 12 arranged between the collector 101 and the lens 11, along the optical path of the light beam. The two diaphragms 12 are positioned on either side of the collector 101. The two diaphragms 12 are symmetrical. Each diaphragm 12 has an inner lateral surface 120 forming an inner edge of each diaphragm 12. The inner lateral surface 120 is oriented towards the interior of the light module 10 and is attached to a lateral edge of the collector 101. Each diaphragm 12 has an outer lateral surface 121 forming an outer edge of each diaphragm 12. The outer lateral surface 121, opposite the inner lateral surface 120, is oriented towards the exterior of the light module 10. The outer lateral surface 121 is flat.
[0059] The internal lateral surface 120 of each diaphragm 12 has an incidence face 120.1 forming an angle with the rest of said internal lateral surface 120. In the described embodiment, the incidence face 120.1 forms a salient angle with the rest of said internal lateral surface 120. The external lateral surface 121 and the internal lateral surface 120, with the exception of the incidence face 120.1 of said internal lateral surface 120, may be substantially parallel to each other.
[0060] Each diaphragm 12 has a deflection face 122 facing the incidence face 120.1. The incidence face 120.1 and the deflection face 122 can form a prism, said prism being able in particular to define a distal portion of each diaphragm 12. The deflection face 122 forms a distal lateral surface connecting the inner lateral surface 120 and the outer lateral surface 120. The exit face of each diaphragm 12 arranged opposite the lens coincides with the deflection face 122.
[0061] The incidence face 120.1 is adapted to receive the parasitic portion A of the light beam reflected by the collector 101 of the light module 10 and arranged to refract said parasitic portion A received in a direction away from the lens 11, that is to say a direction other than that of the optical path of the light beam.
[0062] The deflection face 122 is arranged so that the parasitic portion refracted B by the incidence face 120.1 is refracted C or reflected D by the deflection face 122. The two diaphragms 12 are arranged so that the parasitic portion A of the light beam received by the incidence face 120.1 of one of the diaphragms 12 is deflected in a direction opposite to that of the parasitic portion A of the light beam received by the incidence face 120.1 of the other of the diaphragms 12.
[0063] Each diaphragm 12 is intended to receive a portion of the light beam, in particular the parasitic portion A of said beam.
[0064] The diaphragm 12 has a lower surface 124 comprising the entrance face of the diaphragm 12. The diaphragm 12 has a top surface 123 having a coupling face 123.1 arranged to deflect light.
[0065] The light module 10 includes a second light source 14 positioned opposite the entrance face of one of the diaphragms 12 so as to emit light into said diaphragm 12 and propagate by total internal reflection on the internal walls of said diaphragm 12 to its exit face. The light module 10 includes a third light source 15 positioned opposite the entrance face of the other diaphragm 12 so as to emit light into said diaphragm 12 and propagate by total internal reflection on the internal walls of said diaphragm 12 to its exit face.
[0066] The coupling face 123.1 has a parabolic profile focused on the second light source 14 or on the third light source 15.
[0067] The lighting device 1 includes a control unit (not shown) for selectively activating the first 100 light sources. The control unit is arranged to activate the entire plurality of the first 100 light sources.
[0068] The control unit of the light device 1 is arranged to simultaneously activate the second light source 14 with the first light sources 100. The second light source 14 emits light with a lower intensity than the first light sources 100.
[0069] The control unit of the lighting device 1 is arranged to simultaneously activate the third light source 15 with the first light sources 100. The control unit of the lighting device 1 is arranged to simultaneously activate the third light source 15 with the second light source 14. The third light source 15 emits light with an intensity lower than the first light sources 100 and a similar intensity to that of the second light source 14.
[0070] The light module 10 comprises a printed circuit board 102. The plurality of first light sources, the second light source 14 and the third light source 15 are mounted on the printed circuit board 102. The collector 101 and the two diaphragms 12 are mounted on the printed circuit board 102.
[0071] The light module 10 comprises two absorbers 13, each associated with a diaphragm 12 to absorb the parasitic portion refracted B and / or reflected D and / or re-refracted C by said diaphragm 12. Each absorber 13 is arranged against the flat external lateral surface of the diaphragm 12 to which it is associated.
[0072] As described in [Fig. 4] and [Fig. 5], the elementary light beams emitted by the first light sources 100 are reflected by the collector 101 to form the light beam. Each of the stray portions A of the light beam is directed onto the incidence face 120.1 of the corresponding diaphragm 12. The incidence face is adapted to refract the light rays from the stray portion A, into a refracted stray portion B, towards the deviation face 122 of the diaphragm 12. The deviation face 122 is arranged to deflect the refracted parasitic portion B in a direction of deviation that deviates more from the elementary reflection direction A than from the refraction direction B. The deflection face 122 deflects the refracted parasitic portion B into a reflected parasitic portion D or a refracted parasitic portion C. The reflected parasitic portion D is deflected behind the prism. The refracted parasitic portion C is deflected in front of the prism.
[0073] The angle formed between the optical axis and the elementary reflection direction A is less than the angle formed between the optical axis and the refraction direction B, which is itself less than the angle formed between the optical axis and the deviation direction C, D.
[0074] The preceding description clearly explains how the invention makes it possible to achieve the objectives it has set for itself, namely to obtain a lighting device in which the geometric aberrations in the projected beam are limited while making it possible to obtain a lens having a homogeneous lit appearance and whose dimensions are compact, by proposing a lighting device comprising a light module, two transparent or translucent diaphragms adapted to deflect stray light rays emitted by said light module.
[0075] In any event, the invention is not limited to the embodiments specifically described in this document, and extends in particular to all equivalent means and to any technically feasible combination of these means. In particular, it may be envisaged that the lighting device 1 comprises a plurality of lighting modules 10; the lighting module 10 comprises a collector 101 having a single portion 101.1 associated with a light source 100; the lighting module 10 comprises a collector 101 having a single portion 101.1 associated with a plurality of light sources 100; the diaphragm 12 is translucent; the inner lateral surface 120 is close to the lateral edge of the collector 101; the incidence face 120.1 forms a re-entrant angle; the coupling face 123.1 has a parabolic profile focused on an entry point of the entrance face of the diaphragm 12; the coupling face 123.1 has an elliptical profile; the control unit activates only a part of the plurality of first light sources; the second light source 14 emits light with an intensity similar to the first light sources 100; the third light source 15 emits light with an intensity similar to the first light sources 100.
Claims
Demands
1. A lighting device (1) of a motor vehicle, comprising: a. at least one lighting module (10), the or each lighting module (10) comprising a plurality of first light sources (100) capable of emitting light and at least one collector (101) comprising a reflective surface arranged to collect and reflect light emitted by said first light sources (100) into a light beam; b. a lens (11) associated with said lighting module (10), arranged to project the light beam reflected by the collector (101) of said lighting module (10), said lens (11) being arranged to form on the road an image of the reflective surface of the collector (101) of said lighting module (10); c.at least one transparent or translucent diaphragm (12) having an incidence face capable of receiving a portion of said light beam reflected by the collector (101) of said light module (10) and arranged to refract said received portion in a direction away from said lens (11).
2. A light device (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein each first light source (100) is capable of emitting an elementary light beam, wherein the collector (101) comprises a plurality of portions (101.1), the reflective surface of each portion (101.1) being arranged to reflect one of the elementary light beams in an elementary reflection direction passing through the lens (11), wherein a portion (101.1), said to be parasitic, of at least one of the light beams is capable of reaching a lateral end zone (lia, 11b) of the lens (11), and wherein said incidence surface (120.1) of the diaphragm (12) is arranged to intercept said parasitic portion to refract it in a refraction direction deviating laterally from the elementary reflection direction and from said lateral end zone (lia, 11b) of the lens (11).
3. A light device (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the diaphragm (12) has a deflection face (122) facing the incidence face (120.1) and arranged to deflect said parasitic portion refracted by the incidence face (120.1) in a direction of deflection deviating more from the elementary reflection direction than the refraction direction.
4. A luminous device (1) according to any one of claims 2 or 3, wherein the incidence (120.1) and deviation (122) faces are arranged so that said refracted parasitic portion is refracted or reflected by the deviation face.
5. A light device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the diaphragm (12) has an inner lateral surface (120) comprising said incidence face (120.1) and extending from a lateral edge of the collector (101) up to said incidence face (120.1), the incidence face (120.1) forming an angle with the rest of the inner lateral surface (120).
6. A light device (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the light module (10) comprises an absorber (13) arranged to absorb said refracted parasitic portion.
7. Light device (1) according to claim 6, wherein the diaphragm (12) has an outer lateral surface (121) opposite the inner lateral surface (120), said absorber (13) being arranged opposite the outer lateral surface (121).
8. A light device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light module (10) comprises two transparent or translucent diaphragms (12), arranged on either side of the collector (101) and each having an incidence face (120.1) capable of receiving a portion of said light beam reflected by the collector (101) of said light module (10) and arranged to refract said received portion in a direction away from said lens (11).
9. A light device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light module (10) comprises a second light source (14) positioned opposite an entrance face of said diaphragm (12) and capable of emitting light into said diaphragm (12), the diaphragm (12) being arranged so that said light emitted by the second light source (14) propagates, by total internal reflection on the internal walls of the diaphragm (12), to an exit face of said diaphragm arranged opposite said lens (11) of the light module (10).
10. A light device (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the diaphragm (12) has a lower surface (124) comprising said entrance face and an upper surface (123) having a coupling face (123.1) arranged to deflect and couple said light emitted by the second light source (14) into the diaphragm (12).
11. A lighting device (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the plurality of first light sources (100) and the second light source (14) are mounted on the same support (102).