VEHICLE HEADLIGHT

Abstract

VEHICLE HEADLIGHT Vehicle headlight (1) comprising at least one light source (10) arranged to emit light outwards from the headlight and at least one wall (20) arranged between the light source and the outside so as to receive the light emitted by said at least one light source and project it outwards, characterized in that the wall is coated with a material (21) arranged to have a first appearance and a second appearance reversibly, the first appearance having a different opacity from the second appearance. Figure for the abbreviation: Fig. 1A

Description

Title of the invention: VEHICLE HEADLIGHT

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a light projector mounted on a motor vehicle, otherwise called a headlight.

[0002] Generally, motor vehicles are provided with headlights that allow improved night vision at the front as well as headlights having a primary signaling purpose at the rear. In general, a rear headlight of this type comprises a housing with one or more light sources that can be of different types (LED, halogen lamp or conventional filament bulb) and an opaque outer glass that allows the light to be partially projected towards the outside of the headlight through a translucent pane constituting the opaque glass, while ensuring a good seal for the housing. This glass makes it possible to protect elements provided in the housing from external contaminants, such as sand, gravel or water for example and to display a light pattern corresponding to the light emitted by the light source.

[0003] However, this transparent glass, which is generally glued to the walls of the housing, has several drawbacks. In fact, it has a certain resistance to the transmission of light so that it only transmits a part of the light it receives and it becomes more opaque over time so that the light source in the projector is no longer visible.

[0004] Document FR 3 001 421 describes a headlight comprising a light source, an outer pane and a mask located behind the outer pane between a headlight wiring and the outer pane. The mask comprises an electromagnetic material capable of modifying the appearance of the mask so that it can be transparent or opaque and thus hide or reveal the cable of the light source. A problem with this type of device is that the light source, and in particular the light, and more precisely the light pattern are not hidden.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to address the drawbacks of the prior art documents mentioned above and in particular, first of all, to propose a vehicle headlight capable of projecting an adequate light beam and of presenting a suitable visual appearance.

[0006] For this purpose, a first aspect of the invention relates to a vehicle headlight comprising at least one light source arranged to emit light towards the outside of the headlight and at least one wall arranged between the light source and the outside so as to receive the light emitted by the at least one light source and project it towards the outside, characterized in that the wall is coated with a material arranged to present at least a first appearance and a second appearance in a manner responsive to the light emitted by the at least one light source. reversible, the first aspect having a different opacity than the second aspect. In this way, the appearance of light sources and their beams seen from the outside can be managed.

[0007] A particularly interesting embodiment consists of the wall being an external window. This reduces the number of parts required.

[0008] Advantageously, the first aspect is transparent and the second aspect is opaque. In this way, one can switch between a nearly full view of the interior of the headlight and a nearly zero view of the interior of the headlight.

[0009] Advantageously, the vehicle headlight further comprises control means arranged to control an aspect of the wall so that it has the first aspect when the light source is deactivated and the second aspect when the light source is activated. Thus, the headlight is reliably activated by a user when driving or stopping the vehicle.

[0010] A particularly interesting embodiment is that the control means is the light emitted by the light source. In this way, an expensive electrical system can be saved.

[0011] Advantageously, the material is arranged on the wall so that the wall has several sections of different transmissibility. Thus, the different intensities to be transmitted through / displayed on the wall can be easily managed.

[0012] Advantageously, the wall has a reserve area on which the material is not present. In this way, it is possible to carry out photometry if necessary.

[0013] A particularly interesting embodiment consists in that the material arranged to have a first aspect and a second aspect is an electromagnetic material. Thus, it is easily switchable via conventional elements such as electrodes.

[0014] Advantageously, the electromagnetic material is an electrochromic material. In this way, it is inexpensive.

[0015] A second aspect of the invention is a motor vehicle comprising at least one vehicle headlight according to the first aspect of the invention.

[0016] Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention given by way of non-limiting example and illustrated by the appended drawings, in which:

[0017] - Figures 1A and 1B show sectional views of a vehicle headlight according to the invention in which the wall has the first aspect and the second aspect, respectively.

[0018] Figures 1A and 1B show a vehicle headlight according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle headlight 1 according to this embodiment preferred embodiment of the present invention is optionally a rear light projector which can emit brake, reverse or simply rear dipped beam lights, and comprises at least one light source 10 arranged, optionally in a housing (not shown), to emit light towards the outside of the projector 1 (arrow in Figure 1) and at least one wall 20 arranged between the light source 10 and the outside of the projector 1 so as to receive the light emitted by the at least one light source 10, characterized in that the wall 20 is coated with a material 21 arranged to present at least a first aspect and a second aspect in a reversible manner, the first aspect having a different opacity from the second aspect. In Figure 1 it can be noted that the wall 20 is an outer pane arranged to project the light emitted by the light source 10 towards the outside.This is however only an option insofar as the wall 20 can be located in front of or behind this optional window, as long as it is arranged to receive the light.

[0019] Preferably, the first aspect is transparent and the second aspect is opaque. These terms being relative, it is appropriate to specify them. More particularly, by transparent it is understood that the wall transmits light by refraction and that one can see clearly through it, that is to say that when the first aspect, transparent, is presented by the wall 20, the interior of the projector 1 is visible to the naked eye from the outside in daytime conditions, in particular. On the contrary, by opaque it is understood that when the second aspect is presented by the wall 20, the interior of the projector 1 is not visible in the conditions mentioned above and only the pattern, or the image, of the light emitted on the wall 20 by the light source 10 is visible. For example, the term opaque can also be understood as translucent. By translucent is meant a body transmitting light in a diffuse manner and through which objects appear blurred.

[0020] In order to be able to reversibly switch between these two aspects, the vehicle headlight 1 further comprises a control means (not shown) arranged to control an aspect of the wall 20 so that it has the first aspect when the light source 10 is deactivated and the second aspect when the light source 10 is activated. It is optionally possible for the control means to be the light beam emitted by the light source 10.

[0021] Although not shown, the material 21 may be arranged on the wall so that the wall 20 has several sections of different transmissibility. Thus, the different lights can be transmitted with different intensity through the wall. More particularly, the wall 20 has a reserve area on which the material 21 is not present. It is therefore possible to have maximum transmissibility at certain locations for the reversing lights for example or for the indicators.

[0022] In order to facilitate its implementation, the material 21 arranged to present a first aspect and a second aspect may be an electromagnetic material. Preferably, the electromagnetic material 21 is an electrochromic material.

[0023] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising at least one headlight, preferably several, as defined above.

[0024] It will be understood that various modifications and / or improvements obvious to those skilled in the art may be made to the various embodiments of the invention described in the present description without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.

Claims

Claims

1. A vehicle headlight (1) comprising at least one light source (10) arranged to emit light towards the outside of the headlight and at least one wall (20) arranged between the light source and the outside so as to receive the light emitted by said at least one light source and project it towards the outside, characterized in that the wall is coated with a material (21) arranged to present at least a first appearance and a second appearance in a reversible manner, the first appearance having a different opacity from the second appearance; said headlight further comprising control means arranged to control an appearance of the wall (20) so that it presents the first appearance when the light source (10) is deactivated and the second appearance when the light source is activated; said control means being the light emitted by the light source (10).

2. Vehicle headlight according to claim 1, characterized in that the wall (20) is an outer window.

3. Vehicle headlight according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first aspect is transparent and the second aspect is opaque.

4. Vehicle headlight according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the material (21) is arranged on the wall so that the wall (20) has several sections of different transmissibility.

5. Vehicle projector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wall (20) has a reserve zone on which said material (21) is not present.

6. Vehicle headlight according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the material (21) arranged to have a first appearance and a second appearance is an electromagnetic material.

7. Vehicle headlight according to claim 6, characterized in that the electromagnetic material (21) is an electrochromic material.

8. Motor vehicle comprising at least one vehicle headlight according to any one of the preceding claims.