Ambient lighting device, assembly comprising such a device and motor vehicle comprising such an assembly

Abstract

Ambient lighting device, assembly comprising such a device, and motor vehicle comprising such an assembly. The invention relates to an ambient lighting device (19) for a motor vehicle passenger compartment, comprising: - a light generation module (21), - a guidance and diffusion module (23), comprising a light guide (27) having a main diffusion portion (29) for illuminating a sub-console area located under a center console of said passenger compartment. According to the invention, the light guide (27) includes a high-concentration portion (31), having a cross-section larger than that of said main diffusion portion (29), extending said main diffusion portion and being adapted to illuminate a rear area of ​​said sub-console area when said device is mounted in said passenger compartment. The invention also relates to an assembly comprising such a device and a motor vehicle comprising such an assembly. Figure 3

Description

Title of the invention: Ambient lighting device, assembly comprising such a device and motor vehicle comprising such an assembly Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of motor vehicles, in particular to the field of ambient lighting of the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle.

[0002] The invention relates more particularly to an ambient lighting device for the interior of a motor vehicle.

[0003] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising such a device and to a motor vehicle comprising such an assembly. Prior art

[0004] For aesthetic purposes, it is known to use one or more ambient lighting systems arranged in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle.

[0005] An ambient lighting system typically comprises a set of light sources, for example light-emitting diode sources, emitting light rays which are diffused by means of guidance and diffusion modules in certain areas of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.

[0006] A frequent style request in the automotive field requires lighting, at least partially, an area called the “under-console area”, an area located under a central console of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.

[0007] To do this, several light sources equip the lighting system and the guidance and diffusion modules are positioned opposite the sub-console area to be illuminated.

[0008] A new aesthetic configuration of the passenger compartment, however, proposes using only one light source to create the ambient lighting system.

[0009] It has become apparent that the use of a single light source does not, however, allow the entire under-console area to be satisfactorily illuminated, in particular the portion located at the rear of the under-console area.

[0010] There is thus a need to provide a device for properly illuminating the portion of the passenger compartment located in the rear part of the under-console area, while using only a single light source. Statement of the invention

[0011] The present invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, and to this end relates to an ambient lighting device for the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, comprising: - a light generation module, - a guiding and diffusion module, adapted to guide and diffuse the light generated by said light generation module, comprising a light guide comprising a main diffusion portion adapted to at least partially illuminate a sub-console area located under a central console of said passenger compartment when said device is mounted in said passenger compartment, remarkable in that said light guide comprises an over-concentration portion, having a section greater than the section of said main diffusion portion, said over-concentration portion extending said main diffusion portion and being adapted to illuminate a rear area of ​​said sub-console area when said device is mounted in said passenger compartment.

[0012] Thus, by providing a light guide comprising an over-concentration portion having a section greater than the section of the main diffusion portion, extending said main diffusion portion and being adapted to illuminate a rear zone of the under-console zone when the lighting device is mounted in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, the light diffused by the over-concentration portion is concentrated in the rear zone of the under-console zone, which makes it possible to increase the light intensity in the rear zone of the under-console zone, thus making it possible to use only a single light source.

[0013] According to optional characteristics of the ambient lighting device according to the invention: - said overconcentration portion has a section greater than or equal to 1.5 times the section of said main diffusion portion; - said overconcentration portion has a length of between approximately 10% and approximately 20% of the length of said light guide; - the length of said overconcentration portion is between approximately 5mm and approximately 7mm; - said overconcentration portion has a circular section; - said light generating module comprises a single light source; - said single light source comprises a light-emitting diode module; - the device comprises a structural support supporting said guidance and diffusion module.

[0014] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle assembly, comprising: - a passenger compartment comprising a central console and a sub-console area, - an ambient lighting device fixed to said central console, remarkable in that said ambient lighting device is according to the invention.

[0015] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising an assembly, remarkable in that said assembly is according to the invention. Brief description of the drawings

[0016] Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows, for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:

[0017] [Fig-1] is a perspective view partially showing the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle according to the invention.

[0018] [Fig.2] is a top and perspective view of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle according to the invention, a portion of the central console having been hidden.

[0019] [Fig.3] is a view from below of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle according to the invention, a portion of the central console having been hidden. Description of the embodiments

[0020] In the remainder of the description, elements having an identical structure or similar functions are designated by the same reference.

[0021] We will adopt by convention, without limitation, longitudinal, vertical and transverse orientations indicated by the direct trihedron (L, V, T) designating the longitudinal, vertical and transverse axes of the vehicle.

[0022] In the following, the terms “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “lower” and “upper” are understood in relation to the vehicle.

[0023] Reference is made to [Fig.l] partially showing a passenger compartment 1 of a motor vehicle 3 according to the invention, seen in perspective.

[0024] The passenger compartment 1 comprises a central console 5 defining an armrest for the occupants of the front row of the motor vehicle 1. The shape of the central console 5 shown in the figures is not limiting and is given by way of example only.

[0025] In the example illustrated in the figures, the central console 5 comprises a front location 7 for example intended to receive an on-board computer (not shown) and a rear location 9, behind the front location 5 for example intended to house an induction charging device (not shown) for a mobile telephone (not shown).

[0026] The passenger compartment 1 comprises a zone 11 called the “sub-console zone”, below the central console 5, which may for example comprise a rear storage compartment 13, a front storage compartment 15, a right cup holder 17 and a left cup holder 19.

[0027] Reference is made to figures 2 and 3 showing the passenger compartment 1 respectively in perspective in top view and in bottom view, the rear location 9 of the central console 5 having been hidden for better visibility.

[0028] The sub-console area 11 is illuminated by an ambient lighting device 19 according to the invention.

[0029] The ambient lighting device 19 comprises a module for generating light 21.

[0030] In one embodiment, the light generation module 21 contains an electronic module and a single light source, for example constituted by a light-emitting diode (LED) module.

[0031] The light generating module 21 is for example made of plastic material, for example polycarbonate (PC) or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).

[0032] The light generation module 21 is for example fixed in the lower part of the central console 5, by means of a fixing interface (not shown).

[0033] The ambient lighting device 19 further comprises a guidance and diffusion module 23 and a structural support 25.

[0034] The structural support 25 is adapted to fixedly support the guidance and diffusion module 23 in the passenger compartment 1. The guidance and diffusion module 23 can be fixed on the structural support 25 for example by clipping. The structural support 25 is for example made of plastic material, for example polycarbonate (PC) or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).

[0035] The guiding and diffusion module 23 is adapted to guide and diffuse the light generated by the light generation module 21.

[0036] For this purpose, the guidance and diffusion module 23 comprises a light guide 27.

[0037] The light guide 27 is for example made of plastic material, for example polymethyl methacrylate acrylic (PMMA).

[0038] The light guide 27 comprises a main diffusion portion 29, adapted to at least partially illuminate the sub-console zone 11.

[0039] According to the invention, the light guide 27 comprises an overconcentration portion 31 designed to increase the intensity of light diffused at the overconcentration portion 31.

[0040] In order to increase the intensity of the diffused light, the overconcentration portion 31 has a section greater than that of the main diffusion portion 29.

[0041] The overconcentration portion 29 extends the main diffusion portion 29 at a rear end 33 of the main diffusion portion 29.

[0042] Thus, when the ambient lighting device 19 is fixed to the central console 5, the over-concentration portion 29 illuminates a rear zone 35 (visible in [Fig.l]) of the sub-console zone 11. In the example shown in the figures, the rear zone 35 encompasses the portion of the sub-console zone 11 comprising the rear storage compartment 13.

[0043] In an exemplary embodiment of the ambient lighting device 19, the overconcentration portion 31 has a section greater than or equal to 1.5 times the section of the main diffusion portion 29.

[0044] In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the overconcentration portion 31 and the main diffusion portion 29 each have a circular section. However, other geometric section shapes may be retained, for example rectangular or square.

[0045] In an exemplary embodiment of the ambient lighting device 19, the overconcentration portion 31 has a length L of between approximately 10% and approximately 20% of the length L' of the light guide 27.

[0046] In particular, the length L may be equal to approximately 15% of the length L' of the light guide 27.

[0047] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the length L of the overconcentration portion 31 is between approximately 5 mm and approximately 7 mm, for example approximately 6 mm.

[0048] Thanks to the present invention, it is advantageous to increase the light intensity in the rear zone 35 of the sub-console zone 11 while using only a single light source.

[0049] As goes without saying, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments of this ambient lighting device, of this assembly comprising such a device and of this motor vehicle comprising such an assembly, described above solely as illustrative examples, but on the contrary it embraces all the variants involving the technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims

1. Ambient lighting device (19) for a passenger compartment (1) of a motor vehicle (3), comprising: - a light generation module (21), - a guidance and diffusion module (23), adapted to guide and diffuse the light generated by said light generation module (21), comprising a light guide (27) comprising a main diffusion portion (29) adapted to at least partially illuminate a sub-console area (11) located under a central console (5) of said passenger compartment (1) when said device (19) is mounted in said passenger compartment (1), characterized in that said light guide (27) comprises an over-concentration portion (31), having a section greater than the section of said main diffusion portion (29),said over-concentration portion (31) extending said main diffusion portion (29) and being adapted to illuminate a rear zone (35) of said sub-console zone (11) when said device (19) is mounted in said passenger compartment (1).,

2. Device (19) according to claim 1, characterized in that said overconcentration portion (31) has a section greater than or equal to 1.5 times the section of said main diffusion portion (29).

3. Device (19) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said overconcentration portion (31) has a length (L) between approximately 10% and approximately 20% of the length (L') of said light guide (27).

4. Device (19) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the length of said overconcentration portion (31) is between approximately 5mm and approximately 7mm.

5. Device (19) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said overconcentration portion (31) has a circular section.

6. Device (19) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said light generation module (21) comprises a single light source.

7. Device (19) according to claim 6, characterized in that said single light source comprises a light-emitting diode module.

8. Device (19) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a structural support supporting said guidance and diffusion module (23).

9. Motor vehicle assembly (3), comprising: - a passenger compartment (1) comprising a central console (5) and a sub-console area (11), - an ambient lighting device (19) fixed to said central console (5), characterized in that said ambient lighting device (19) is according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. Motor vehicle (3) comprising an assembly, characterized in that said assembly is according to claim 9.

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