LIGHTING DEVICE SIGNALING THE MOTIVE ENERGY USED BY A VEHICLE

Abstract

A lighting device (DE) equips a vehicle (V) comprising a powertrain capable of using at least one type of motive energy to produce engine torque, and is arranged so as to deliver in a chosen part of the vehicle (V), visible from the outside, a light having a color representative of the type of motive energy currently being used by the powertrain and chosen from a table establishing a correspondence between colors and types of motive energy. Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: LIGHTING DEVICE SIGNALING THE MOTOR ENERGY USED BY A VEHICLE Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to vehicles comprising a powertrain (or GMP) capable of using at least one type of driving energy to produce engine torque, and more precisely to lighting devices intended to equip such vehicles. State of the art

[0002] Certain vehicles, possibly of the automobile type, comprise a powertrain (or GMP) comprising one or more driving machine(s) capable of using one or more type(s) of driving energy to produce engine torque.

[0003] In an ever-increasing number of regions or countries, more and more people are sensitive to the pollution that can be caused by the GMPs of vehicles. As a result, there are more and more cities or regions in which the circulation of vehicles is more or less limited depending on the type of motive energy used by their GMP. Thus, GMP vehicles using exclusively fossil energy may be partially or totally prohibited from circulating in certain places.

[0004] For those responsible for enforcing traffic rules based on the type of motive power used, determining this type is particularly difficult to do by simply visually observing the vehicles. However, it is not possible to stop each vehicle to check the motive power it is currently using in a vehicle identification database, as this is too time-consuming. It should be noted that this verification is even more difficult, if not impossible, when the GMP is hybrid and therefore can use at least two different motive powers at any given time, possibly simultaneously, as discrimination is almost impossible to make.

[0005] A fully automated solution, based on the analysis of the photographed vehicle registration plates, could certainly be implemented. But such a solution could not be applied to hybrid GMP vehicles for the reason described above. Furthermore, when it is possible to automatically know the position and time of passage of all vehicles, this could pose a problem of respect for the privacy of vehicle users.

[0006] The invention therefore aims in particular to improve the situation. Presentation of the invention

[0007] It proposes in particular for this purpose a lighting device suitable for equipping a vehicle comprising a powertrain suitable for using at least one type of motive energy to produce engine torque.

[0008] This lighting device is characterized by the fact that it is arranged so as to deliver in a chosen part of the vehicle, visible from the outside, a light having a color representative of the type of motive energy currently being used by the powertrain and chosen from a table establishing a correspondence between colors and types of motive energy.

[0009] Thanks to the invention, anyone knowing the correspondence table can now, by observing the light delivered by the lighting device of a vehicle, deduce the type of motive energy currently being used by its GMP, including when the latter is hybrid.

[0010] The lighting device according to the invention may include other characteristics which may be taken separately or in combination, and in particular:

[0011] - the correspondence table can establish correspondences between the gray color and a fossil fuel, the color sky blue and electric energy, the color light green and a synthetic fuel, and the color white and hydrogen;

[0012] - it may comprise at least one group of at least one light source specific to be installed in the chosen part of the vehicle, each light source being chosen from a light-emitting diode (or LED), a laser diode, a gas laser and a bulb;

[0013] - in the presence of the last option, and when said powertrain is clean to use N types of motive energy, with N > 2, it can comprise, on the one hand, N groups of at least one light source respectively delivering lights of different colors, and, on the other hand, an electronic card suitable for determining the type of motive energy in use and for electrically supplying each light source of the group delivering a light having the color representative of the determined type;

[0014] - also in the presence of the last option, it can include a guide to light coupled to each group of at least one light source and capable of delivering on a front face the light having the color which is representative of the type of motive energy in use.

[0015] The invention also proposes a vehicle, possibly of the automobile type, and comprising at least one selected part comprising at least one lighting device of the type presented above.

[0016] For example, the (each) part may be selected from a rear end and a front end. When a selected part is the rear end, the latter may comprise two lighting devices installed in right and left sub-parts. Brief description of the figures

[0017] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description below, and the appended drawings, in which:

[0018] [Fig-1] schematically and functionally illustrates, in a top view, a example of a vehicle comprising a GMP, with thermal motor and electric motor, and two examples of embodiments of lighting devices according to the invention, and

[0019] [Fig.2] schematically and functionally illustrates, in a front view, an exemplary embodiment of a light guide of a lighting device according to the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0020] The invention aims in particular to propose a lighting device DE intended to equip a vehicle V comprising a powertrain (or GMP) capable of using at least one type of motive energy to produce engine torque, and capable of signaling the type of motive energy used by this GMP.

[0021] In the following, it is considered, by way of non-limiting example, that the vehicle V is of the automobile type. It is for example a car, as illustrated non-limitingly in [Fig.l]. But the invention is not limited to this type of vehicle. It in fact concerns any vehicle (land, sea (or river), or air) comprising a powertrain (or GMP) capable of using at least one type of motive energy to produce engine torque.

[0022] [Fig.l] schematically illustrates an example of a vehicle V (here a car) comprising a hybrid GMP, and therefore comprising first MM1 and second MM2 driving machines using driving energies of different types, and two examples of embodiments of lighting devices DE according to the invention.

[0023] In the following, it is considered, by way of non-limiting example, that the first motive machine MM1 is thermal and therefore consumes motive energy of a first type, namely fossil energy stored in a reservoir, and that the second motive machine MM2 is electric and therefore consumes motive energy of a second type, namely electrical energy stored in a main battery (or “power” or even “traction”).

[0024] But the GMP could only include at least one driving machine consuming a single type of driving energy, for example fossil energy, or electrical energy, or a synthetic fuel, or even hydrogen.

[0025] It will be noted that the GMP is supervised by a supervision computer CS which knows at each instant which driving machine MMj (here j = 1 or 2) consumes driving energy to provide engine torque.

[0026] It will also be noted that in the example illustrated non-limitingly in [Fig. 1] the first driving machine MM1 is installed in a front part PVV of the vehicle V and the second driving machine MM2 is installed in a rear part PRV of this vehicle V. But the first MM1 and second MM2 driving machines could be installed in the front part PVV of the vehicle V or in the rear part PRV of the vehicle V or even respectively in the rear part PRV and front part PVV of the vehicle V.

[0027] A lighting device DE, according to the invention, is arranged so as to deliver in a chosen part of the vehicle V, visible from the outside, a light having a color which is representative of the type of motive energy currently being used by the GMP and which is chosen from a table establishing a correspondence between colors and types of motive energy.

[0028] Thus, any person knowing the correspondence table can, by observing the light delivered by the (each) lighting device DE of a vehicle V, deduce the type of motive power currently being used by the GMP of the latter (V). For example, if this person is responsible for locally enforcing traffic rules according to the type of motive power used, he can immediately ask the driver of the vehicle V to stop the latter (V) if he is in the process of breaking these rules, without needing to query a vehicle identification database, including when the GMP of the vehicle V is hybrid.

[0029] It will be noted that the lighting device DE can, for example, determine the type of motive power which is currently being used by the GMP from the supervision computer CS.

[0030] Preferably, a part of the vehicle V where a lighting device DE is installed can be chosen from the rear end ER and the front end EV of this vehicle V. It will be noted that in the example illustrated non-limitingly in [Fig. 1] the rear end ER of the vehicle V comprises two lighting devices DE installed respectively in right and left sub-parts. But a vehicle V may comprise only a single lighting device DE installed in a single chosen part, or two lighting devices DE installed respectively in two distant chosen parts (for example in the rear end ER and the front end EV or in two right and left sides of the vehicle V), or three or four lighting devices DE installed respectively in three or four distant chosen parts (for example in the rear end ER, the front end EV, and at least one of the right and left sides of the vehicle V).

[0031] For example (and not limited to and not exhaustively), the correspondence table can establish correspondences between the color gray and a fossil energy, the color sky blue and electrical energy, the color light green and a fuel of synthesis, and the color white and hydrogen. Of course, any other color / type of driving energy correspondences can be considered.

[0032] As illustrated non-limitingly in [Fig.l], the lighting device DE may comprise at least one group gn of at least one light source SLn installed in the (one) chosen part of the vehicle V. In this case, each light source SLn may, for example, be chosen from a light-emitting diode (or LED (Light Emitting Diode)), a laser diode, a gas laser and a bulb.

[0033] For example, when the GMP is capable of using N types of driving energy, with N > 2, the lighting device DE may comprise N groups gn (n = 1 to N) of at least one light source SLn and an electronic card CE. In this case, the N groups respectively deliver N lights of different colors. It will be understood that when a group gn comprises at least two light sources SLn, the latter (SLn) all deliver light having the same color. Furthermore, the electronic card CE is capable of determining the type of driving energy currently being used by the GMP and of electrically supplying each light source SLn of the group gn which delivers light having the color representative of this determined type.

[0034] It will be noted that in the example illustrated non-limitingly in [Fig.l] each lighting device DE comprises two groups gl and g2 (n = 1 or 2) of at least one light source SLn. The first group gl comprises at least one first light source SL1 delivering a first light having a first color (for example gray because representative of a first type (fossil energy)). The second group g2 comprises at least one second light source SL2 delivering a second light having a second color (for example sky blue because representative of a second type (electrical energy)). In this case, when the electronic card CE determines (for example from the supervision computer CS) that the type of motive energy currently being used by the GMP is the first, it electrically supplies each first light source SL1 of the first group gl.The first light is then observed outside the vehicle V in the (each) chosen part of the vehicle V where a lighting device DE is installed. On the other hand, when the electronic card CE determines (for example from the supervision computer CS) that the type of motive power currently being used by the GMP is the second, it electrically supplies each second light source SL1 of the second group g2. The second light is then observed outside the vehicle V in the (each) chosen part of the vehicle V where a lighting device DE is installed.

[0035] It will also be noted that when the GMP is hybrid, and that at the instant considered it simultaneously uses two types of driving energy, the electronic card CE can be arranged so as to electrically supply each light source SLn cor corresponding to one of the two determined types, for example so that the light corresponding to the most favorable type (i.e. the one considered to be the least polluting) is delivered. But in an alternative embodiment, the electronic card CE could be arranged so as to electrically supply each light source SLn delivering the light corresponding to the least favorable type (i.e. the one considered to be the most polluting). In another alternative embodiment, the electronic card CE could be arranged so as to electrically supply the light sources SLn delivering the two lights corresponding to the two determined types.

[0036] It will also be noted that when the GMP uses a single type of motive energy, the lighting device DE may comprise only a single group gn of at least one light source SLn, and in this case the electronic card CE may be arranged so as to electrically supply each light source SLn of this single group gn, without needing to determine, for example from the supervision computer CS, the type of motive energy which is currently being used by the GMP.

[0037] Also for example, and as illustrated non-limitingly in [Fig.l], the (each) lighting device DE may comprise a light guide GL which is coupled to each group gn (of at least one light source SLn) and which is capable of delivering on its front face FV (facing outwards) the light which has the color representative of the type of motive energy currently being used by the GMP.

[0038] In the example illustrated non-limitingly in [Fig. 2], the light guide GL has a closed loop shape, substantially elliptical. But it could have an open loop shape, or any other shape (and for example curvilinear with several different curvatures (sinusoidal or wave shape), or rectilinear or even rectangular (or square) or diamond-shaped).

Claims

Claims

1. Lighting device (DE) for a vehicle (V) comprising a powertrain capable of using at least one type of motive energy to produce engine torque, characterized in that it is arranged so as to deliver in a chosen part of said vehicle (V), visible from the outside, a light having a color representative of the type of motive energy currently being used by said powertrain and chosen from a table establishing a correspondence between colors and types of motive energy.

2. Lighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that said table establishes correspondences between the gray color and a fossil energy, the sky blue color and electrical energy, the light green color and a synthetic fuel, and the white color and hydrogen.

3. Lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises at least one group of at least one light source (SLn) installed in said selected part of the vehicle (V), each light source (SLn) being chosen from a light-emitting diode, a laser diode, a gas laser and a bulb.

4. Lighting device according to claim 3, characterized in that, when said power unit is capable of using N types of motive energy, with N > 2, it comprises i) N groups of at least one light source (SLn) respectively delivering lights of different colors, and ii) an electronic card (CE) capable of determining said type of motive energy in use and of electrically supplying each light source (SLn) of the group delivering a light having the color representative of said determined type.

5. Lighting device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that it comprises a light guide (GL) coupled to each group of at least one light source (SLn) and capable of delivering on a front face (FV) the light having the color representative of said type of driving energy in use.

6. Vehicle, characterized in that it comprises at least one selected part comprising at least one lighting device (DE) according to one of claims 1 to 5.

7. Vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that said part is chosen from a rear end (ER) and a front end (EV).

8. Vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that said rear end (ER) comprises two lighting devices (DE) installed in right and left sub-parts.

9. Vehicle according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that it is of the automobile type.

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