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 falls within the field of motor vehicles, in particular in 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 passenger compartment 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. Previous technique

[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 through guidance and diffusion modules into certain areas of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.

[0006] A frequent styling requirement in the automotive field requires lighting, at least partially, an area known as the "sub-console area", an area located under a central console in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.

[0007] To achieve this, several light sources are fitted to the lighting system and the guidance and diffusion modules are positioned opposite the area under the console to be illuminated.

[0008] A new aesthetic configuration of the passenger compartment proposes, however, to use only a single 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 sub-console area to be satisfactorily illuminated, in particular the portion located at the rear of the sub-console area.

[0010] There is therefore a need to provide a device to properly illuminate the portion of the passenger compartment located in the rear part of the sub-console area, while using only one light source. Description 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 guidance and diffusion module, adapted to guide and diffuse the light generated by said light generation module, comprising a light guide having a main diffusion portion adapted to illuminate at least partially a sub-console area located under a central console of said passenger compartment when said device is mounted in said passenger compartment, notable in that said light guide has an over-concentration portion, having a cross-section greater than the cross-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 overconcentration portion having a cross-section greater than the cross-section of the main diffusion portion, extending said main diffusion portion and being adapted to illuminate a rear area of ​​the sub-console area when the lighting device is mounted in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, the light diffused by the overconcentration portion is concentrated in the rear area of ​​the sub-console area, which makes it possible to increase the luminous intensity in the rear area of ​​the sub-console area, thus making it possible to use only one light source.

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

[0014] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle assembly, comprising: - a passenger compartment including a central console and a sub-console area, - an ambient lighting device fixed on 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 features, objectives and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, for the understanding of which reference should be made to the accompanying 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 center console having been obscured.

[0019] [Fig.3] is a view from below of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle according to the invention, a portion of the center console having been obscured. Description of the implementation methods

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

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

[0022] In what follows, the terms "front", "rear", "left", "right", "lower" and "upper" are understood in relation to the vehicle.

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

[0024] The passenger compartment 1 includes 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 as an example only.

[0025] In the example illustrated in the figures, the central console 5 has 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 phone (not shown).

[0026] The passenger compartment 1 includes an area 11 called the "under-console area", below the center console 5, which may include, for example, a rear storage compartment 13, a front storage compartment 15, a right-hand cup holder 17 and a left-hand 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 obscured 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 includes a light generation module 21.

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

[0031] The light generation 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 to the lower part of the central console 5, via 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 permanently support the guidance and diffusion module 23 in the passenger compartment 1. The guidance and diffusion module 23 can be attached to 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 diffusing 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 includes a light guide 27.

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

[0038] The light guide 27 includes a main diffusion portion 29, adapted to illuminate at least partially the sub-console area 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 level of the overconcentration portion 31.

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

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

[0042] Thus, when the ambient lighting device 19 is attached to the center console 5, the over-concentration portion 29 illuminates a rear area 35 (visible in [Fig.1]) of the sub-console area 11. In the example shown in the figures, the rear area 35 encompasses the portion of the sub-console area 11 containing the rear storage compartment 13.

[0043] In an example embodiment of the ambient lighting device 19, the overconcentration portion 31 has a cross-section greater than or equal to 1.5 times the cross-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 cross-section. However, other geometric cross-sectional shapes may be used, in particular, for example, rectangular or square.

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

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

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

[0048] Thanks to the present invention, it is advantageously possible to increase the light intensity in the rear area 35 of the sub-console area 11 while using only one light source.

[0049] As will be understood, 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 by way of illustrative examples, but on the contrary it encompasses all variants involving the technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

Demands

1. Ambient lighting device (19) for the passenger compartment (1) of a motor vehicle (3) using only one light source, comprising: - a single light generation module (21), - a single guidance and diffusion module (23), adapted to guide and diffuse the light generated by said light generation module (21), comprising a light guide (27) having a main diffusion portion (29) adapted to illuminate at least partially a sub-console area (11) located under a center 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) has an over-concentration portion (31), having a cross-section greater than the cross-section of said main diffusion portion (29),said overconcentration portion (31) extending said main diffusion portion (29) and being adapted to illuminate a rear area (35) of said sub-console area (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 cross-section greater than or equal to 1.5 times the cross-section of said main diffusion portion (29).

3. Device (19) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said overconcentration portion (31) has a length (L) between about 10% and about 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 about 5mm and about 7mm.

5. Device (19) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said portion of overconcentration (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) including 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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