Vehicle lighting device

Abstract

Vehicle Lighting Device The lighting device (1) comprises: an illuminated element (2) including an illuminated area (14) and an opaque area (16) adjacent to the illuminated area (14), a lighting device (4) arranged to illuminate the illuminated area (14) extending from the inner surface (10) of the illuminated element (2). The outer surface (12) of the illuminated area (14) has a rounded shape forming a convex protrusion (18) on the outer surface (12) of the illuminated element (2), the lighting device (4) emitting light towards the illuminated element (2), said light passing through the illuminated area (14) from the inner surface (10) to the convex protrusion (18) of the illuminated area (14). Figure for abbreviation: 1

Description

Title of the invention: Luminous device for vehicle

[0001] The present invention relates to a luminous device for a vehicle, of the type comprising: - an illuminated element extending between an internal surface and an external surface, said illuminated element comprising at least one illuminated zone arranged to allow light to pass from the internal surface to the external surface and at least one opaque zone adjacent to the illuminated zone and arranged to prevent the passage of light from the internal surface to the external surface, the illuminated zone extending along a path substantially perpendicular to a thickness direction going from the internal surface to the external surface, - a lighting device arranged to illuminate the illuminated area over the entire path of said illuminated area, said lighting device extending on the side of the internal surface of the illuminated element and being arranged to emit light into the illuminated area,

[0002] The lighting device is for example a vehicle headlight and / or a signaling device and / or an appearance part of the vehicle bodywork. More particularly, the vehicle is a motor vehicle.

[0003] To give such a light device a particular appearance, it is known to use one or more optical fibers into which light is injected, which makes it possible to form particular illuminated shapes according to the path followed by the optical fibers and to give the light device a particularly satisfactory appearance.

[0004] However, the use of optical fibers involves a certain number of constraints. Indeed, the installation of optical fibers involves making them follow the desired path and preventing them from deviating from it during the assembly of the lighting device, which complicates the assembly of the lighting device. In addition, in order to obtain satisfactory lighting, the optical fibers are made of expensive materials and are illuminated by means of laser diodes, which are also expensive. The optical efficiency of this installation is also not optimal, which requires increasing the energy consumption of the lighting device to obtain satisfactory lighting. In addition, the use of laser diodes involves taking special safety precautions for people looking at the lighting device in order to protect them from laser radiation, which further complicates the assembly of the lighting device.

[0005] One of the aims of the invention is to overcome these drawbacks by proposing an inexpensive lighting device, offering a satisfactory appearance and simplified assembly.

[0006] To this end, the invention relates to a lighting device of the aforementioned type, in which the external surface of the illuminated area has a rounded shape forming a convex protuberance on the external surface of the illuminated element, the convexity of the convex protuberance extending towards the outside of the illuminated element, the lighting device emitting light towards the illuminated element in the thickness direction, said light passing through the illuminated area from the internal surface to the convex protuberance of the illuminated area.

[0007] The shape of the illuminated area makes it possible to give this area the appearance of an optical fiber while this area can be made of an inexpensive material, for example by injection molding, which makes it possible to make the illuminated area follow any type of path in a particularly simple manner. In addition, the illuminated area can be illuminated by a conventional light source, not involving the use of a laser. Thus, the appearance of the lighting device according to the invention is as satisfactory as a lighting device using optical fibers while it is simpler and less expensive to produce.

[0008] The light device according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following characteristics, considered alone or in any technically conceivable combination: - the lighting device comprises a plurality of light sources, said light sources being distributed along the path of the illuminated area, each light source emitting light in the thickness direction towards the inner surface of the illuminated area; - the light sources are spaced from the inner surface of the illuminated element in the thickness direction, the lighting device comprising two reflective walls extending in the thickness direction along the path of the illuminated area between the light sources and the inner surface of the illuminated element, the light sources emitting light between said reflective walls towards the inner surface of the illuminated area; - the light sources are light-emitting diodes mounted on the same printed circuit strip; - the internal surface of the illuminated area is substantially flat, said illuminated area having a semi-cylindrical section in a plane containing the thickness direction; - the illuminated element is made from a single piece produced by injection of two materials, one of said materials allowing light to pass through and forming the illuminated area and the other of the materials preventing the passage of light and forming the opaque area; - the illuminated element comprises a plurality of illuminated zones spaced apart from each other, with adjacent illuminated areas separated from each other by an opaque area. - The lighting device includes a lighting device for each illuminated area. - the illuminated areas extend along paths that are substantially parallel to each other. - the illuminated element and the lighting device extend in a housing, said housing comprising a bottom, extending on the side of the internal surface of the illuminated element, the lighting device extending between said bottom and said illuminated element, and a front extending opposite the external surface of the illuminated element, said front allowing the light illuminating the external surface of the illuminated area of ​​the illuminated element to pass through.

[0009] Other aspects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0010] [Fig-1] - [Fig.l] is a schematic representation in exploded perspective of a light device according to the invention;

[0011] [Fig.2] - [Fig.2] is a schematic representation in partial section of a part of the light device of [Fig.l], and

[0012] [Fig.3] - [Fig.3] is a schematic cross-sectional representation of part of the lighting device showing more particularly an illuminated area and the lighting device for this illuminated area.

[0013] With reference to the figures, a vehicle lighting device 1 is described comprising an illuminated element 2 and a lighting device 4. Such a lighting device is for example a vehicle headlight and / or a signaling device and / or an appearance part of the vehicle bodywork. Such a lighting device is thus intended to be visible from outside the vehicle.

[0014] According to the embodiment shown in [Fig.l], the assembly formed by the illuminated element 2 and the lighting device 4 is placed in a housing comprising a bottom 6 and a front 8. The bottom 6 forms an internal wall of the lighting device 1, intended to be turned towards the body of the vehicle on which the lighting device is installed, and the front 8 forms an external wall of the lighting device 1, intended to be turned towards the outside of the vehicle so as to be visible from outside the vehicle. Thus, in the description, the term "internal" or "interior" designates that which is intended to be turned towards the body of the vehicle and the term "external" or "exterior" designates that which is intended to be turned towards the outside of the vehicle. The bottom 6 and the front 8 are assembled together so as to define an internal volume receiving the illuminated element 2 and the lighting device 4. The front 8 is arranged to allow the passage of light. light from the internal volume to the exterior of the facade 8. Thus, the facade 8 is for example formed by a transparent or translucent window.

[0015] The illuminated element 2 extends between an internal surface 10 and an external surface 12 in a thickness direction E going from the internal surface 10 to the external surface 12. When the illuminated element 2 is arranged in a housing, as described previously, the internal surface 10 faces the bottom 6 and the external surface 12 extends opposite the facade 8, for example against the facade 8.

[0016] The illuminated element 2 comprises at least one illuminated zone 14 and at least one opaque zone 16, these zones extending over the entire thickness of the illuminated element 2, that is to say from the internal surface 10 to the external surface 12 of the illuminated element 2, as more particularly visible in [Fig. 3]. The opaque zone 16 is adjacent to the illuminated zone 14 in a longitudinal plane substantially perpendicular to the thickness direction E. More particularly, the illuminated zone 14 is bordered by the opaque zone 16 which extends on either side of the illuminated zone 14 in the longitudinal plane, as visible in Figs 1 and 3.

[0017] The illuminated area 14 is arranged to allow light to pass along the thickness direction E from the inner surface 10 to the outer surface 12. In other words, light injected into the illuminated area 14 on the side of the inner face 10 is transmitted to the outer surface 12 of the illuminated area 14, the light then being visible from the outside of the lighting device 1, for example through the facade 8. The illuminated area is thus made of a light-transmitting material, such as a transparent and / or diffusing material. According to one embodiment, the illuminated area 14 is made of a transparent or diffusing plastic material.

[0018] The illuminated area 14 has, on the side of the external surface 12, a rounded shape forming a convex protuberance 18, the convexity of the protuberance 18 extending towards the outside of the illuminated element. The protuberance 18 has more particularly a shape of an arc of a circle, the center of the circle being located between the internal surface 10 and the external surface 12 of the illuminated area 14. In other words, the protuberance 18 increases the thickness of the illuminated area 14 in the thickness direction E, in particular at the apex of the convexity of the protuberance 18, as shown in [Fig. 3]. On the side of the internal face 10, the illuminated area 14 has for example a substantially flat surface so that the illuminated area has a semi-cylindrical section in a plane containing the thickness direction E, as visible in [Fig. 3].According to one example, the greatest thickness of the illuminated zone 14, corresponding to the distance between the internal surface 10 and the top of the protuberance 18, is less than or equal to 3 mm, for example substantially between 2 mm and 3 mm. Furthermore, the width of the protuberance 18, corresponding to the diameter of the arc of a circle formed by the protuberance 18, is for example substantially . between 1 mm and 4 mm. Thus, the illuminated area 14 has a certain “fineness”, which improves its appearance and reinforces the impression that the illuminated area 14 is formed by an optical fiber, as will be described in more detail later.

[0019] The illuminated area 14 extends along a path in at least one direction substantially perpendicular to the thickness direction E, i.e. in a longitudinal plane. The path of the illuminated area 14 defines the shape of the illuminated area 14 which will be visible from the outside of the lighting device 1. The path may be of any desired shape, for example to form a logo, a distinctive sign or the like. According to the embodiment shown in [Fig.l], the path is substantially rectilinear and includes a change of direction due to the general shape of the lighting device 1 which includes a main part 20 intended to extend along the elevation direction of the vehicle and a shoulder 22 substantially perpendicular to the main part 20. The path then includes a section extending rectilinearly in the main part 20 and a section extending rectilinearly in the shoulder 22, as shown in [Fig.l].It is understood, however, that this shape is given only as an example and that the route could have another shape, as indicated previously.

[0020] According to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the illuminated element 2 comprises several illuminated zones 14 spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal plane. Two adjacent illuminated zones 14 are then separated by an opaque zone 16 or by the opaque zone 16, as more particularly visible in [Fig.l]. According to the embodiment shown in [Fig.l], the illuminated zones 14 extend along paths parallel to each other and each comprise a section extending rectilinearly in the main part 20 and a section extending rectilinearly in the shoulder 22. It is however understood that the paths of the illuminated zones could be different from each other, for example to produce a pattern in the external surface 12 of the illuminated element 2.

[0021] The opaque zone 16 is arranged to block the passage of light along the thickness direction E from the inner surface 10 to the outer surface 12. The opaque zone 16 is thus made of a material preventing the transmission of light, such as an opaque material. According to one embodiment, the opaque zone 16 is made of an opaque plastic material.

[0022] The opaque zone 16 surrounds one or more illuminated zones 14 so that, when the illuminated element 2 is illuminated from the internal surface 10, only the light passing through the illuminated zone(s) 14 is visible from the external surface 12 side of the illuminated element 2. When the path of the illuminated zones 14 extends over an entire dimension of the illuminated element 2 in a longitudinal plane, for example over the entire length or the entire height of the illuminated element 2, several opaque zones 16 are provided to extend between the different illuminated zones 14.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the opaque zone(s) 16 have a thickness less than that of the illuminated zone(s) 14 so that the protuberance 18 of each illuminated zone 14 projects from the external surface 12 of the opaque zone(s) 16 towards the outside, as more particularly visible in Figs. 2 and 3. Thus, seen from the outside, the illuminated element 2 gives the impression that one or more optical fibers are integrated into a support formed by the opaque zone(s) 16, which gives a particularly satisfactory appearance to the illuminated element 2 from the outside of the lighting device 1.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the illuminated element 2 is made in one piece, that is to say that the illuminated zone(s) 14 are integral with the opaque zone(s) 16. Thus, the illuminated element 2 is for example made by injection molding of two materials, one forming the illuminated zone(s) 14 and the other forming the opaque zone(s) 16. Thus, the illuminated element 2 is particularly simple to make and makes it possible to make paths of illuminated zones of any desired shape, simply by arranging the molding cavity in the appropriate manner. The production of the illuminated element 2 does not require in particular an operation of assembling the illuminated zones according to the desired path on a support, as is the case when optical fibers are used.

[0025] The lighting device 4 is arranged to illuminate an illuminated area 14 of the illuminated element 2 from the inner side of the illuminated element 2. Thus, when the assembly formed by the illuminated element 2 and the lighting device 4 is arranged in a housing, the lighting device extends between the bottom 6 and the illuminated element 2. The lighting device 4 is more particularly arranged to inject light into the illuminated area by passing through the inner surface 10 of the illuminated area 14, this light being transmitted to the convex protuberance 18 of the illuminated area 14 to be visible from the outside of the lighting device 1. In other words, the lighting device is arranged to emit light in the thickness direction E towards the illuminated area 14, this light passing through the illuminated area 14 from the inner surface 10 to the inner surface 10. the convex protuberance 18. More particularly, the illuminated zone 14 is illuminated along its entire path.

[0026] For this purpose, the lighting device 4 comprises a plurality of light sources 24, one of which is shown in [Fig. 3], distributed along the path of the illuminated zone 14, each light source emitting light in the thickness direction E towards the internal surface of the illuminated zone 14. The light sources are for example formed by light-emitting diodes mounted on the same printed circuit strip 26 arranged to power and control the light-emitting diodes. nescents. The printed circuit strip 26 extends along the path of the illuminated area 14 in order to place the light sources 24 opposite the entire illuminated area 14, as visible in [Fig.l].

[0027] According to one embodiment, in order to orient and concentrate the light emitted by the light sources 24 towards the illuminated zone, the lighting device 4 further comprises a reflection device 28 comprising two reflective walls 30 extending substantially in the thickness direction E of the light sources 24 to the internal surface 12 of the illuminated zone 14. Thus, the light sources 24 are spaced from the internal surface 10 of the illuminated zone in the thickness direction E and the reflection device 28 makes it possible to bring the light emitted by the light sources 24 to the illuminated zone 14. The distance separating the light sources 24 from the convex protuberance 18 is for example substantially between 15 mm and 20 mm. The walls 30 extend along the path of the illuminated zone 14 on either side thereof, as more particularly visible in Figs. 2 and 3.The printed circuit strip 26 is for example fixed on the ends of the walls 30 so that the light sources 24 are placed between the walls 30 so that the light emitted by the light sources 24 is entirely emitted between the walls 30 towards the internal surface 10 of the illuminated zone.

[0028] The lighting device comprises a lighting device 4 as described above per illuminated area 14, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. According to the embodiment shown in these figures, the reflection devices 28 of all the lighting devices 24 are made in a single piece, for example made by injection molding. The part forming the reflection devices 28 has for example a contour substantially identical to that of the illuminated element 2 and to those of the bottom 6 and the front 8, as shown in [Fig. 1]. The part forming the reflection devices 28 comprises several pairs of reflective walls 30 extending projecting from an internal surface of the part and on which the printed circuit strips 26 are fixed, for example by gluing, as shown in [Fig. 2].

[0029] The lighting device 1 described above makes it possible to obtain a particularly satisfactory appearance in a simple and inexpensive manner, in particular by “imitating” a lighting device produced by means of optical fibers without using such optical fibers, nor laser diodes used to illuminate optical fibers. The lighting device 1 according to the invention also improves the safety of people observing the lighting device 1 since the latter does not emit laser radiation.

Claims

Claims

1. A lighting device (1) for a vehicle comprising: - an illuminated element (2) extending between an inner surface (10) and an outer surface (12), said illuminated element (2) comprising at least one illuminated zone (14) arranged to allow light to pass from the inner surface (10) to the outer surface (12) and at least one opaque zone (16) adjacent to the illuminated zone (14) and arranged to prevent the passage of light from the inner surface (10) to the outer surface (12), the illuminated zone (14) extending along a path substantially perpendicular to a thickness direction (E) going from the inner surface (10) to the outer surface (12), - a lighting device (4) arranged to illuminate the illuminated zone (14) over the entire path of said illuminated zone (14), said lighting device (4) extending on the side of the inner surface (10) of the illuminated element (2) and being arranged to emit light into the illuminated area (14),characterized in that the outer surface (12) of the illuminated area (14) has a rounded shape forming a convex protuberance (18) on the outer surface (12) of the illuminated element (2), the convexity of the convex protuberance (18) extending towards the outside of the illuminated element (2), the lighting device (4) emitting light towards the illuminated element (2) in the thickness direction (E), said light passing through the illuminated area (14) from the inner surface (10) to the convex protuberance (18) of the illuminated area (14).,

2. A lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the lighting device (4) comprises a plurality of light sources (24), said light sources (24) being distributed along the path of the illuminated area (14), each light source (24) emitting light along the thickness direction (E) towards the inner surface (10) of the illuminated area (14).

3. A lighting device according to claim 2, wherein the light sources (24) are spaced from the inner surface (10) of the illuminated element (2) along the thickness direction (E), the lighting device (4) comprising two reflective walls (30) extending along the thickness direction (E) along the path of the illuminated area (14) between the light sources (24) and the inner surface (10) of the illuminated element (2), the light sources (24) emitting light between said reflective walls (30) towards the inner surface (10) of the illuminated area (14).

4. A light device according to any one of claims 2 or 3, wherein the light sources (24) are light-emitting diodes mounted on a single printed circuit strip (26).

5. A light device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the inner surface (10) of the illuminated area (14) is substantially planar, said illuminated area (14) having a semi-cylindrical section in a plane containing the thickness direction (E).

6. A light device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the illuminated element (2) is made from a single piece produced by injection of two materials, one of said materials allowing light to pass through and forming the illuminated zone (14) and the other of the materials preventing the passage of light and forming the opaque zone (16).

7. A lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the illuminated element (2) comprises a plurality of illuminated areas (14) spaced apart from each other, the adjacent illuminated areas (14) being separated from each other by an opaque area (16), the lighting device illuminating one of said illuminated areas.

8. A lighting device according to claim 7, comprising a lighting device (4) for each illuminated area (14).

9. A light device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the illuminated areas (14) extend along paths substantially parallel to each other.

10. A light device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the illuminated element (2) and the lighting device (4) extend in a housing, said housing comprising a bottom (6), extending on the side of the internal surface of the illuminated element (2), the lighting device (4) extending between said bottom (6) and said illuminated element (2), and a front (8) extending opposite the external surface (12) of the illuminated element (2), said front (8) allowing the light illuminating the external surface (12) of the illuminated area (14) of the illuminated element (2) to pass through.

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