Filter, headlight, and system of both

Abstract

A filter with a tintable glazing (smart glass) whose light transmission can be changed by applying an electrical voltage, has a frame (2) to which the tintable glazing (4) is fixed, and at least four contacts (5a, 5b, 6a, 6b) provided on the frame (2), wherein the electrical voltage for changing the light transmission can be applied via at least two of the at least four contacts, and correct alignment of the filter when mounted on a headlight (8) can be detected via at least two other of the at least four contacts.

Description

Field of invention

[0001] The invention relates to a filter, in particular an optical filter with a variably tintable or frosted glazing (also known as smart glass) which can be continuously transparent or opaque or colored, a headlight to which the filter can be detachably attached, and a system consisting of a filter and headlight according to the invention. State of the art

[0002] Spotlights for event technology, such as PAR (Parabolic Aluminized Reflector), floodlights, Fresnel or profile spotlights, and strobes, are known. It is also known to attach optical filters to such spotlights, which, for example, have tintable glass whose light transmission can be changed by applying an electrical voltage. Such filters are usually permanently installed in the spotlight housing and can, at best, only be replaced with considerable effort. Object of the invention

[0003] Based on this, it is an object of the invention to provide an optical filter that can be easily and correctly aligned by a user on a headlight, and to provide a corresponding headlight on which the filter can be detachably and correctly aligned. Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a corresponding system comprising such a headlight and such a filter. Description of the invention

[0004] The above problem is solved by a filter having the features of claim 1, a headlight having the features of claim 7, and a system having the features of claim 8. Preferred embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0005] The invention is based on the idea of ​​attaching an optical filter, made of tintable glass, a so-called smart glass, to a headlight in a removable manner, while ensuring that the filter is correctly aligned on the headlight. The filter can be attached to the headlight housing, for example, by means of clamping and / or magnetic connections, thus simplifying the filter replacement process.

[0006] To ensure correct filter alignment, the filter has at least four contacts located on a frame to which the tintable lens is attached. An electrical voltage is applied to at least two of these contacts to change the light transmission of the tintable lens, and at least two other contacts ensure that the filter is correctly mounted on the headlight.

[0007] According to one embodiment, the at least four contacts are arranged side by side in a row; alternatively, at least two of the at least four contacts can be arranged side by side in a row in pairs. According to one embodiment, the frame of the filter, to which the tintable glazing is fixed, has at least one frame element, wherein the at least four contacts are arranged in a row or in pairs in a row on one of the frame elements.

[0008] According to another embodiment, the filter frame, to which the tintable glazing is attached, has several frame elements, with the at least four contacts being distributed in series or in pairs in series on different frame elements. In this way, depending on the frame shape, it is possible to suitably position the at least four contacts on the frame to ensure that, on the one hand, the tintable glazing is supplied with a corresponding voltage to change the light transmission, and on the other hand, the filter is correctly aligned on the frame of a headlight.

[0009] The voltage required to change the light transmission of the tintable glazing is preferably supplied by the headlight onto which the filter is mounted. Specifically, this voltage is applied to two of the filter's at least four contacts when the other contacts, which are not used for power supply, detect that the filter is correctly aligned with the headlight housing. As mentioned above, the filter can be easily held in the correct mounting position on the headlight housing by means of a clamping and / or magnetic connection.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the invention, at least two of the at least four contacts are provided for detecting the correct alignment of the filter during mounting on a headlight, wherein these contacts are electrical and / or optical contacts. In the case of electrical contacts, a circuit can be closed, for example, when these contacts come into contact with complementary contacts on the headlight housing.

[0011] The headlight according to the invention, to which the above-mentioned filter can be detachably attached in the correct orientation, has a housing to which the filter is attached, a light source provided in a cavity of the housing, an end face that closes off the cavity on the light-out side of the headlight, and a connection area provided on the housing on the light-out side for the detachable attachment of one or more of the above-mentioned filters according to the invention.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the connection area of ​​the headlight has at least four contacts, which are designed to be complementary in position and function to the aforementioned at least four contacts of the one or more filters. An electrical voltage can be supplied to the attached filter via at least two of these contacts, allowing the light transmission of the tintable glazing to be appropriately adjusted. The correct alignment of the filter on the headlight housing can be detected via the at least two other contacts. Specifically, the electrical voltage for changing the filter's light transmission is only supplied by the headlight when the filter is correctly aligned.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the correctly aligned mounting of the filter according to the invention on the housing of the headlight is ensured by the fact that the at least two contacts of the filter, which do not serve to change the light transmission of the filter, come into contact with the complementary at least two contacts on the housing of the headlight in order to close an electrical circuit or an optical circuit. Brief description of the characters

[0014] The invention is described below by way of example with reference to preferred embodiments and the accompanying figures. These show: Figure 1 a schematic perspective view of a filter with tintable glazing (Smart Glass); Figure 2 a schematic view of a headlight, onto which the in Figure 1 The filters shown can be attached or removed in the correct orientation; Figure 3a frame of the filter according to an alternative embodiment; Figure 4 a section of a frame element of the filter according to the invention with an arrangement of contacts according to a first embodiment; Figure 5 a filter frame with an arrangement of contacts according to a second embodiment; and Figure 6 an embodiment of a system according to the invention with a filter taken from a headlight. Description of preferred embodiments

[0015] Figure 1Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a filter 1 with a frame 2, which, according to this embodiment, has four frame elements 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d. According to this embodiment of the frame 2, the frame elements 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d are connected to each other to form a substantially rectangular filter, with a tintable glazing (smart glass) 4 embedded between the frame elements 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d. Figure 6 shows an embodiment of a round filter with a round frame element in which a tintable glazing is embedded, as described later.

[0016] As in Figure 1 As shown, according to this embodiment, the filter has four contacts 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, wherein an electrical voltage is applied to the filter 1 via contacts 5a, 5b in order to change the light transmission of the tintable glazing 4. The contacts 6a, 6b serve to ensure correct alignment of the filter 1 when attached to a Figure 2 to ensure the headlights shown.

[0017] As further in Figure 1 As shown, the filter 1 has fastening means 7 which, according to this embodiment, are attached to the frame elements 3b and 3d. Alternatively, these fastening means 7 can also be provided on the frame elements 3a and 3c. For easy mounting of the filter, these fastening means 7 are, for example, a clamp connection and / or a magnetic connection, so that the filter 1 can be easily attached to and removed from a headlight.

[0018] Figure 2 Figure 8 shows an embodiment of a headlight 8 according to the invention with a housing 9 and a light source 10 provided in a cavity of the housing 9. Figure 2 further shows a connection area provided on the housing 9 on the light emission side for the removable mounting of one or more in Figure 1The filters shown. According to this embodiment, the connection area of ​​the headlight 8 is located on an end face of the headlight that closes off the cavity at the light-emitting side of the headlight. According to the invention, the connection area has at least four contacts 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b, which are complementary in function and position to the contacts 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b of the filter 1. Figure 1 are.

[0019] According to the in Figure 2In the headlight 8 shown, contacts 11a, 11b serve to supply a corresponding electrical voltage to the filter 1 when they touch contacts 5a, 5b of the filter 1, in order to change the light transmission of the tintable glazing 4. According to the invention, however, such an electrical voltage is only supplied when contacts 12a, 12b of the headlight 8 touch contacts 6a, 6b of the filter 1, thus ensuring that the filter 1 is mounted in the correct orientation on the connection area of ​​the headlight 8.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment, the headlight 8 is suitable to supply the appropriate electrical voltage to the filter 1 via the contacts 11a, 11b in order to change the light transmittance of the tintable glazing 4 without the need to provide a separate voltage supply source for the filter.

[0021] Although not in Figure 2As shown, the housing 9 of the headlight 8 has corresponding fastening means in the connection area, which are complementary to the fastening means 7 of the filter 1. Figure 1 , in order to fix the filter to the headlight 8 in a removable manner when it is correctly aligned.

[0022] Figure 3 shows another embodiment of the in Figure 1 The frame 2 shown, in which a further frame element 3e is provided. According to this embodiment, the frame element 3e is arranged between and parallel to the frame elements 3a and 3c and is configured to have the contacts 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b. The function of these contacts is the same as described with reference to Figure 1 described.

[0023] According to the in Figure 3In the illustrated embodiment, for example, a first tintable glazing can be provided between the frame elements 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d in area 13A, and a second tintable glazing can be provided between the frame elements 3b, 3c, 3d, and 3e in area 13B. According to this embodiment, both tintable glazings in areas 13A and 13B can be supplied with an electrical voltage via contacts 5a and 5b, whereby the tintable glazings have different transmittances at the same electrical voltage. Any number of frame elements with varying orientations relative to each other can be provided.

[0024] According to the in Figure 1 and Figure 3 In the filters shown, contacts 5a, 5b and 6a, 6b are arranged in series on a frame element. Alternatively, according to another embodiment, at least two of the four contacts can be arranged side by side in series in pairs, as shown in Figure 4shown. Although only four contacts are shown in the figures, it is possible to use more than four contacts, preferably two of which are suitable for supplying the electrical voltage to change the light transmission of the tintable glazing, and the remaining contacts are used to ensure correct alignment of the filter when mounted on a headlight.

[0025] In the Figure 1 , 3 and 4 The contacts 5a, 5b and 6a, 6b are provided on only one of the frame elements. According to another embodiment, the contacts can also be distributed across different frame elements, as shown in Figure 5 shown.

[0026] Figure 5Figure 1 shows contacts 5a, 5b, through which an electrical voltage is supplied to change the light transmission of the tintable glazing, on frame element 3a, contact 6a on frame element 3b, and contact 6b on frame element 3d opposite frame element 3b. Any distribution of contacts 5a, 5b and 6a, 6b on the frame is possible according to the invention.

[0027] Figure 6 shows a system consisting of a headlight 14 and a filter 15. In contrast to the one in Figure 1 shown filter 1 in Figure 2 In the headlight 8 shown, the frame of the filter 15 and the housing of the headlight 14 are round. The removable glazing 4 is similarly integrated into the round filter 15, and the filter 15 can be fitted precisely onto the round front surface of the headlight 14.

[0028] Similar to the one in Figure 2 Headlight 8 shown, headlight 14 shows according to Figure 6a connection area for the removable attachment of the filter 15, in a similar manner to the headlight 8 of Figure 2 the connection area has four contacts 5a, 5b and 6a, 6b, which are complementary in position and function to corresponding contacts formed on the frame of the filter 15 (not in Figure 6 to be seen, as it faces the front surface of the headlight 14).

[0029] In a similar way to the one in Figure 2 The headlight 8 shown in Figure 6 supplies the headlight 14 with an electrical voltage via contacts 11a, 11b, which is suitable for changing the light transmission of the tintable glazing 4 of the filter 15. In a similar manner to that described above, contacts 12a, 12b serve to ensure a corresponding correct alignment of the filter 15 when mounted on the housing of the headlight 14.

[0030] The headlight 14 and the filter 15 from Figure 6differ from headlight 8 of Figure 2 and filter 1 of Figure 1 essentially only in terms of form, but not in terms of functionality regarding assembly and correct alignment. Reference symbol list

[0031] 1 Filter 2 Frame 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e Frame element 4 Tintable glazing 5a, 5b Power supply contacts 6a, 6b Alignment contacts 7 Fasteners 8 Headlight 9 Housing 10 Light source 11a, 11b Power supply contacts 12a, 12b Alignment contacts 13A, 13B Smart glass areas 14 Headlight 15 Filter

Claims

1. Filter with a tintable glazing (Smart Glass) whose light transmission can be changed by applying an electrical voltage, comprising: a frame (2) to which the tintable glazing (4) is fixed, and at least four contacts (5a, 5b, 6a, 6b) provided on the frame (2), wherein the electrical voltage for changing the light transmission can be applied via at least two of the at least four contacts, and correct alignment of the filter when mounted on a headlight (8) can be detected via at least two other of the at least four contacts.

2. Filter according to claim 1, wherein the at least four contacts (5a, 5b, 6a, 6b) are arranged side by side in a row.

3. Filter according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the at least four contacts (5a, 5b, 6a, 6b) are arranged in pairs next to each other in a row.

4. Filter according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the frame (2) has at least one frame element (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) and the at least four contacts (5a, 5b, 6a, 6b) are arranged on one of the frame elements (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d).

5. Filter according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the frame (2) has several frame elements and the at least four contacts (5a, 5b, 6a, 6b) are distributed on different frame elements (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d).

6. Filter according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least two other contacts of the at least four contacts for detecting the correct alignment of the filter when mounted on a headlight (8) are electrical and / or optical contacts.

7. Headlight (8) comprising a housing (9), a light source (10) provided in a cavity of the housing (9), an end face that closes the cavity at the light-emitting side of the headlight (8), and a connection area provided on the housing (9) at the light-emitting side for the detachable attachment of one or more filters according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the connection area has at least four contacts (11a, 11b, 12a, 12b) which are complementary to the at least four contacts of the one or more filters with respect to position and function, and an electrical voltage can be supplied via at least two of the at least four contacts (11a, 11b, 12a, 12b) with which the light transmittance of a filter (1) attached to the headlight (8) can be changed.and a correct alignment of the filter (1) when mounted on the housing (9) of the headlight (8) can be detected via at least two of the other at least four contacts.

8. System comprising a headlight (14) according to claim 7 and at least one filter according to one of claims 1 to 6, which can be detachably attached to the headlight (14).

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