Rear light for a motor vehicle equipped with a heat-dissipating support element

The use of a support element with a U-shaped extension to evacuate heat from bulbs in motor vehicle rear lights addresses the challenge of heat damage to electronic components, enhancing longevity and reducing costs without a metal heat shield.

FR3150845B1Active Publication Date: 2025-05-23STELLANTIS AUTO SAS
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Patent Information

Application Number
FR2023007041
Authority / Receiving Office
FR · FR
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-07-03
Publication Date
2025-05-23
Estimated Expiration
2043-07-03

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The limited space in optical blocks of motor vehicle rear lights makes it difficult to install a heat shield to prevent heat from bulbs damaging electronic lighting modules, while also increasing manufacturing costs.

Method used

A support element with a U-shaped extension is used to evacuate heat generated by the bulb away from the electronic lighting module, without the need for a metal heat shield, by creating a path for heat to escape through perforations in the housing.

Benefits of technology

This solution effectively minimizes the risk of heat damage to electronic components, improves the longevity of rear lights, and reduces manufacturing costs by eliminating the need for a metal heat shield.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention relates to a rear light (100) for a motor vehicle, said light comprising a housing (1) closed by a glass (2) between which a support element (6) is arranged, said support element having a fixing lug (7) cooperating with said housing in order to position the support element with respect to said housing. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle equipped with such a rear light. Figure for the abstract: 2
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Description

Title of the invention: Rear light for a motor vehicle equipped with a support element with thermal evacuation Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to the field of optical lighting and / or signaling units for motor vehicles. The invention relates in particular to a rear light for a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle equipped with such a rear light. The invention applies, in particular, to cars. State of the prior art

[0002] It is known that the optical lighting and / or signaling units of modern motor vehicles, in particular rear lights, use bulbs in combination to perform certain photometric lighting and / or signaling functions while other photometric functions are performed by means of electronic lighting modules powering light-emitting diodes. It is also known that bulbs generate heat when they operate, and that electronic components can be degraded by heat. Thus, means must be considered to prevent the heat generated by a bulb from accumulating in places where electronic components are installed. For this, a heat shield is generally integrated, often a metal plate, in order to separate the heat source, a bulb, from elements that are sensitive to heat, the electronic lighting modules.However, the space in an optical block is so limited that the installation of a heat shield such as a more or less thick metal plate is sometimes not feasible. In addition, the integration of a metal heat shield increases the manufacturing cost of an optical block. Summary of the invention

[0003] The invention aims to overcome these drawbacks. The invention aims in particular to provide a solution for, in a rear light for a motor vehicle incorporating a bulb in the lower part and an electronic lighting module powering at least one light-emitting diode arranged above the bulb, minimizing at low cost the risk that the heat generated by the bulb damages the electronic lighting module. By this means, the invention aims to improve the longevity of rear lights for motor vehicles, while minimizing their manufacturing cost.

[0004] In order to achieve these aims, the invention relates, according to a first aspect, to a rear light for a motor vehicle, said light comprising a housing closed by a glass between which a support element is arranged, said support element having a tab fixing cooperating with said housing in order to position the support element with respect to said housing, said fixing lug forming a box comprising a front part within which is installed at least one part of a lighting module supplying at least one light-emitting diode, which is separated from a rear part of the box having an upper face provided with at least one through hole which overhangs a bulb installed in a housing of said light, an extension having a U-shaped profile extending said box from said rear part to move a heat flow generated by the bulb away from said front part.

[0005] According to a variant, one end of said extension may face a perforation passing through said housing.

[0006] According to another variant, said extension can cooperate with said housing so as to immobilize said support element with respect to said housing in at least two directions.

[0007] According to yet another variant, said extension may extend alongside a pin extending said box from said rear part, which cooperates with said housing in order to prevent rotation of said support element relative to said housing.

[0008] According to yet another variant, said pin may be a hollow cylinder which has a longitudinal rib.

[0009] According to yet another variant, said rib can engage in a groove of a fixing stud rising from the internal face of the wall of said housing.

[0010] According to yet another variant, a screw can be inserted into said pin to fix said support element to said housing.

[0011] According to yet another variant, said fixing lug can extend transversely with respect to said light.

[0012] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a motor vehicle equipped with a rear light as described above. Brief description of the drawings

[0013] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description below, and the appended drawings, in which:

[0014] [Fig-1] is a front view of a rear light for a motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0015] [Fig.2] is a perspective view of a portion of a vehicle tail light automobile according to the invention;

[0016] [Fig.3] is a perspective view of a support element of a rear light for motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0017] [Fig.4] is a perspective view of a portion of a vehicle tail light automobile according to the invention;

[0018] [Fig.5] is a top view of a rear light for a motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0019] [Fig.6] is a perspective view of a part of a support element cooperating with a housing of a rear light for a motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0020] [Fig.7] is a perspective view of a part of a support element cooperating with a housing of a rear light for a motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0021] [Fig.8] is a perspective view of a part of a support element cooperating with a housing of a rear light for a motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0022] [Fig.9] is a front view of a part of a housing of a rear light for a motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0023] [Fig. 10] is a perspective view of a part of a rear light for a motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0024] [Fig. 11] is a perspective view of a portion of a rear light for a motor vehicle according to the invention; and

[0025] [Fig. 12] is a rear view of a rear light for a motor vehicle according to the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0026] In the following description, elements which appear in several figures are identified by the same references in all the figures.

[0027] [Fig.l] illustrates a front view of a rear light 100 for a vehicle according to the invention which is fixed on the left rear side of the bodywork C of a motor vehicle according to the invention. Conventionally, the light 100 according to the invention comprises a housing 1 forming the rear face of the light intended to be fixed to the bodywork of the vehicle, which is closed by a glass 2 forming the front lighting face of the light 100. Conventionally, the light 100 comprises a bulb 3 installed in a housing 4 located in the lower part of the light, which preferably provides a reversing light function. The bulb 4 is arranged below an electronic lighting module 5 which powers at least one light-emitting diode.

[0028] Furthermore, as seen in [Fig. 2], which shows a side view of the left part of the light 100, sectioned near the bulb 3, a support element 6 is arranged between the housing 1 and the glass 2 above the housing 4 in which the bulb 3 is installed.

[0029] A perspective view of the support element 6 is illustrated in [Fig. 3], while [Fig. 4] illustrates a side view of the lower part of the light 100, sectioned near the bulb 3. As can be seen in these figures, the support element 6 comprises a fixing lug 7 which extends transversely relative to the light 100 and which forms a box 8 comprising a front part 8A separated from a rear part 8B by a partition 9. Within the front part 8A of the box 8 is arranged at least a part of the LED lighting module 5 (not shown for clarity), while the upper face of the rear portion 8B of the box 8 is provided with two oblong through holes 10. Alternatively, the upper face of the rear portion 8B of the box 8 has only one through hole, or more than two through holes.

[0030] Thus, as can be seen in [Fig. 5], which illustrates a top view of the light 100, at least one of the two holes 10 advantageously overhangs the bulb 3, so that the heat that the latter generates easily escapes from the housing 4 through the hole 10. In addition, an extension 11 having a U-shaped profile extends the rear part 8B of the box, which, as will be seen below, facilitates the evacuation of heat to the outside of the light 100. Next to the extension 11, a pin 12 also extends from the rear part 8B of the box 8 in the same direction as the extension 11, which, as will be seen below, makes it possible to fix the support element 6 to the housing 1 of the light 100 by means of a screw.

[0031] In [Fig.6] a part of the fixing lug 7 is illustrated. As can be seen, the extension 11 bears at its lower face and one of its lateral faces against the housing 1. Thus, the extension 11 of the fixing lug 7 cooperates advantageously with the housing 1 in order to position the fixing lug 7, and therefore the support element 6, with respect to the housing 1, in particular so as to immobilize the fixing lug 7, and therefore the support element 6, with respect to the housing in two directions, as indicated by the axes Y and Z illustrated in the figure.

[0032] Furthermore, it can be seen in [Fig. 7], which illustrates a side view of the rear part of the fixing lug 7, sectioned near the hole 10, and in [Fig. 8], which illustrates a perspective view of the pin 12 and the housing 1, that the pin 12 cooperates advantageously with the housing 1 to position the fixing lug 7, and therefore the support element 6, with respect to the housing 1, in particular by preventing the rotation of the fixing lug 7, and therefore of the support element 6, with respect to the housing 1. For this, the pin 12 is a hollow cylinder which has a longitudinal rib 13 which engages in a groove 14 of a fixing stud 15 rising from the internal wall of the housing 1.

[0033] Furthermore, as can be seen in [Fig.9], which illustrates a front view of a portion of the rear face of the light 100, the pin 12 makes it possible to fix the fixing lug 7, and therefore the support element 6, to the housing 1 by means of a screw 16 inserted into the fixing stud 15 which engages in the pin 12. Furthermore, it can also be seen in this figure that the end of the extension 11 of the fixing lug 7 advantageously faces a perforation 17 passing through the wall of the housing 1. As will be seen below, this perforation 17 advantageously makes it possible to evacuate the heat which is generated by the bulb 3 to the outside of the light 100.

[0034] [Fig. 10] shows a view of the lower part of the light 100, sectioned near the bulb 3, and [Fig. 11] shows a simple rotation from the point of view with respect to [Fig. 10], the heat flow generated by the bulb 3 by means of arrows and a gray area. As understood from these figures, the heat flow generated by the bulb 3 naturally rises towards the rear part 8B of the box 8 and is evacuated through the hole 10. Thus, due to the partition 9, the front part 8A of the box 8 remains sheltered from the heat flow which, exiting through the hole 10, then naturally circulates towards the extension 11. The latter, due to its U-shaped profile, concentrates the heat flow between its walls, thus moving it ever further away from the front part 8A of the box 8. Finally, as understood from reading [Fig. 12], the perforation 17 passing through the wall of the housing 1 which faces the end of the extension 11 advantageously makes it possible to evacuate the heat generated by the bulb 3 to the outside of the light 100, as illustrated by the arrows.

[0035] Consequently, thanks to the invention, a solution is provided for, in a rear light for a motor vehicle incorporating a bulb in the lower part and an electronic lighting module powering at least one light-emitting diode arranged above the bulb, minimizing without resorting to a metal heat shield the risk that the heat generated by the bulb degrades the electronic lighting module. Thus, the invention contributes to improving the longevity of rear lights for motor vehicles, while minimizing their manufacturing cost.

Claims

Claims

1. Rear light (100) for a motor vehicle, said light comprising a housing (1) closed by a glass (2) between which a support element (6) is arranged, said support element having a fixing lug (7) cooperating with said housing (1) in order to position the support element (6) with respect to said housing, characterized in that said fixing lug forms a box (8) comprising a front part (8A) within which is installed at least a part of a lighting module (5) supplying at least one light-emitting diode, which is separated from a rear part (8B) of the box having an upper face provided with at least one through hole (10) which overhangs a bulb (3) installed in a housing (4) of said light, an extension (11) having a U-shaped profile extending said box from said rear part (8B) to move a heat flow generated by the bulb (3) away from said front part (8A).

2. A light (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that one end of said extension (11) faces a perforation (17) passing through said housing (1).

3. Light (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said extension (11) cooperates with said housing (1) so as to immobilize said support element (6) with respect to said housing in at least two directions.

4. Light (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said extension (11) extends next to a pin (12) extending said box (8) from said rear part (8B), which cooperates with said housing (1) in order to prevent rotation of said support element (6) with respect to said housing.

5. Light (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that said pin (12) is a hollow cylinder which has a longitudinal rib (13).

6. Light (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that said rib (13) engages in a groove (14) of a fixing stud (15) rising from the internal face of the wall of said housing (1).

7. Light according to one of claims 4-6, characterized in that a screw (16) is inserted into said pin to fix said support element (6) to said housing (1).

8. Light (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said fixing lug (7) extends transversely with respect to said fire.

9. Motor vehicle, characterized in that it is equipped with a rear light (100) according to one of the preceding claims.