LIGHTING DEVICE FOR ILLUMINATING TWO LOCATIONS WITHIN THE GRIPPING AREA OF A VEHICLE DOOR

Abstract

A lighting device (LD), on the one hand, is part of a door fitted to a vehicle and includes an area having a sub-part with a grip recess, and, on the other hand, includes: - a source (SP) generating photons for a diffusion element (GL1) having a front face (FV1) delivering these photons at an edge of this area, - a light guide (GL2) transferring the generated photons to an inlet (E1) of the diffusion element (GL1), and - a photon collector (PC) collecting photons present in a sub-part (SPG) of the light guide (GL2), located substantially at the grip recess, to deliver them to the sub-part of the area to illuminate the grip recess. Figure 3

Description

Title of the invention: LIGHTING DEVICE FOR ILLUMINATING TWO LOCATIONS IN A GRIPPING AREA OF A VEHICLE DOOR Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to lighting devices intended to be part of a vehicle door comprising an area to be illuminated in two places. State of the art

[0002] Some vehicles, generally of the motor vehicle type, include at least one door which includes an area, generally delimited by a trim piece, and comprising a lower sub-part having a gripping recess allowing a user to pull or push the door to close or open it.

[0003] Some of these doors also include a lighting device arranged to illuminate their aforementioned area in two places, namely at the level of an edge, and at the level of the gripping recess (so that the user can easily find the latter, particularly in the dim light).

[0004] Currently, this type of lighting device includes, in particular, a part A diffusion system (sometimes called an "ice cube") is installed at the edge of the area and supplied with photons by a first photon source, and a second photon source delivers photons to illuminate the grip recess, usually through an opening in the body panel. This arrangement increases the space behind the body panel, even though free space is generally scarce, thus complicating the design and installation of the lighting system. Furthermore, this arrangement contributes to increasing the vehicle's weight and therefore its power consumption.

[0005] The invention therefore aims in particular to improve the situation. Presentation of the invention

[0006] In particular, it proposes for this purpose a lighting device, on the one hand, intended to be part of a door suitable for equipping a vehicle and comprising an area having a sub-part comprising a gripping recess, and, on the other hand, comprising a source suitable for generating photons for a diffusion part having a front face suitable for delivering these photons at the level of an edge of this area.

[0007] This lighting device is characterized by the fact that it also includes:

[0008] - a light guide suitable for transferring the generated photons to an inlet of the room broadcasting, and

[0009] - a photon collector suitable for collecting photons present in a sub- part of the light guide, intended to be located approximately at the level of the gripping hollow, to deliver them at the level of the sub-part of the area to illuminate the gripping hollow.

[0010] Thanks to the invention, a single source of photons is sufficient to provide lighting at two locations distant from the door area, which reduces the clutter behind this area and makes the design and installation of the lighting device less complex.

[0011] The lighting device according to the invention may include other features which may be taken separately or in combination, and in particular:

[0012] - a part of the photon collector, through which the collected photons are delivered, may be intended to be housed in a defined opening in a room delimiting the area of ​​the door;

[0013] - the photon collector can be an integral part of the light guide;

[0014] - the sub-part of the light guide may include, on an opposite rear face to the photon collector, three-dimensional elements which are able to act on a portion of the photons that reach them to cause a distribution of these photons in the photon collector;

[0015] - in the presence of the last option, the three-dimensional elements can be grooves;

[0016] - in the presence of the last sub-option, the grooves can be parallel between They are designed to be placed vertically in the door.

[0017] The invention also proposes a door suitable for equipping a vehicle and comprising an area having a sub-part comprising a gripping recess and a lighting device of the type presented above.

[0018] For example, this door may also include a part delimiting its area and to which the lighting device is fixedly attached. In this case, its part may, for example, include an opening in which a part of the photon collector of the lighting device is housed, through which the collected photons are delivered into the area.

[0019] The invention also proposes a vehicle, possibly of the automobile type, and comprising at least one door of the type presented above. Brief description of the figures

[0020] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from an examination of the detailed description below, and the accompanying drawings (mostly obtained using CAD / CAM (“Computer-Aided Design / Computer-Aided Manufacturing”)), in which:

[0021] [Fig. 1] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view, an example of a (trim) part intended to be part of a vehicle door, delimiting a gripping area, and to which a lighting device according to the invention is attached.

[0022] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view, an example of an embodiment of a lighting device according to the invention,

[0023] [Fig.3] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view, the lighting device of [Fig.2] without its fixing piece, and

[0024] [Fig.4] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view from the rear side, a sub-part of the light guide of the lighting device of Figures 2 and 3, including the photon collector. Detailed description of the invention

[0025] The invention aims in particular to provide a lighting device DE allowing to illuminate with a single source of photons SP two places distant from a gripping zone ZP of a door PV of a vehicle.

[0026] In what follows, the PV door is considered, by way of non-limiting example, to be intended for use on a motor vehicle, such as a car. However, the PV door can be used on any vehicle that must include at least one door with a gripping area for a user, and therefore a land vehicle, a boat, or an aircraft.

[0027] Figure 1 schematically illustrates an example of a PZ part intended to form part of a PV door of a vehicle, defining a gripping area ZP, and to which a lighting device DE according to the invention is attached. It should be noted that the PZ part can contribute to the PV door's finish. However, it could also be covered with an added skin, for example.

[0028] The gripping zone ZP has a (lower) sub-part SPZ comprising a gripping recess PO allowing a user to pull or push the door PV to close or open it.

[0029] As illustrated at least partially in Figures 2 and 3, a lighting device DE, according to the invention, comprises at least a single photon source SP, a diffusion piece GL1 (sometimes called an "ice cube"), a light guide GL2, and a photon collector CP.

[0030] The photon source SP is arranged to generate photons for the scattering component GL1, but also for the photon collector CP (as will be seen later). For example, this photon source SP may include at least one light-emitting diode (LED). Alternatively, it could include at least one laser diode or a gas laser, for example.

[0031] As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the light guide GL2 is coupled to the photon source SP and the diffusion piece GL1. It is arranged to transfer the photons generated by the photon source SP to an inlet El of the diffusion piece GL1.

[0032] The diffusion piece GL1 has a front face FV1 which is adapted to deliver the photons it receives at its inlet El at an edge BZ of the gripping zone ZP. This diffusion piece GL1 can, for example, be made of polycarbonate (or PC), possibly transparent (or crystal clear).

[0033] It should be noted that in the example illustrated, but not limited to, and at least partially shown in Figures 1 to 3, the BZ edge is intended to be installed substantially vertically with respect to the PV door and therefore with respect to the vehicle. However, in an alternative embodiment (not shown), the BZ edge could be intended to be installed substantially horizontally with respect to the PV door and therefore with respect to the vehicle, for example.

[0034] It should also be noted that in the example illustrated, but not limited to, in Figures 2 and 3, the inlet El of the diffusion element GL1 is located in the lower part of the latter (GL1). However, in an alternative embodiment (not illustrated), the inlet El of the diffusion element GL1 could be located in the upper part of the latter (GL1), or even in an intermediate part situated between its lower and upper parts, for example.

[0035] The photon collector CP is arranged to collect photons that are present in a sub-part SPG of the light guide GL2, which is intended to be located substantially at the gripping hollow PO, to deliver them at the sub-part SPZ of the gripping zone ZP, in order to illuminate the gripping hollow PO.

[0036] It will be understood that part of the photons which are heading towards the entrance El of the diffusion piece GL1 exit at the sub-part SPG of the light guide GL2 and are collected by the photon collector CP which finally delivers it at the front face FV2 so that it illuminates the gripping hollow PO so that the user can easily find the latter (PO), in particular in the dim light.

[0037] Thus, with a single photon source SP, it is now possible to provide illumination at two locations distant from the gripping zone ZP. This is advantageous because it reduces the space required behind the part PZ, simplifies the design and implementation of the lighting device DE, and reduces the weight of the vehicle and therefore its motor energy consumption.

[0038] For example, and as illustrated without limitation in [Fig. 1], a portion of the photon collector CP, through which the collected photons are delivered, may be intended to be housed in an opening OP defined in the part PZ delimiting the area of the gripping zone ZP. Note that in the figures the photons exit the photon collector CP through a front face FV2 oriented towards the gripping zone ZP.

[0039] Also, for example, and as illustrated non-limitingly in Figures 3 and 4, the photon collector CP can be an integral part of the GL2 light guide. It then constitutes a kind of "lateral extension" of the SPG sub-part of the GL2 light guide. In this case, the GL2 light guide (with its CP photon collector) can be made by molding. But in an alternative embodiment, it could be envisaged that the CP photon collector be attached to the GL2 light guide at the level of its SPG sub-part, for example by bonding.

[0040] Also, for example, and as illustrated, but not limited to, in [Fig. 4], the SPG sub-part of the GL2 light guide may include three-dimensional ET elements on its rear face FR2 opposite the photon collector CP (and therefore opposite its face from which the photons exit to reach the latter (CP)). These three-dimensional ET elements are arranged so as to act on a portion of the photons that reach them (and are therefore being transferred to the inlet El of the diffusion element GL), in order to cause a distribution of these photons within the photon collector CP. This prevents the creation of a "hot spot" at the SPG sub-part and thus ensures that only a portion of the gripping recess PO is illuminated by an intense beam.

[0041] Also, for example, and as illustrated non-limitingly in [Fig. 4], the three-dimensional elements ET can be grooves defined on the rear face FR2 of the subpart SPG. But any other type of three-dimensional element capable of causing a distribution of photons can be considered.

[0042] Also, for example, and as illustrated, but not limited to, in [Fig. 4], the ET grooves can be parallel to each other and intended to be placed vertically in the PV gate. The ET grooves are therefore (here) defined perpendicular to the average propagation direction of the photons in the SPG sub-section of the GL2 light guide. However, this is not mandatory. Indeed, a slight deviation from 90° can be considered.

[0043] Also, for example, and as illustrated, but not limited to, in [Fig. 4], the three-dimensional ET elements (here, grooves) can have different dimensions. Preferably, and as illustrated, the closer one gets to the entrance El, the larger the dimension (here, vertical) of the three-dimensional ET elements. Thus, since statistically the number of photons still available in the SPG sub-section of the GL2 light guide decreases as one approaches the entrance El, the larger the vertical dimension, the more one tends to have a nearly constant probability of interaction with the photons, which allows for a substantially homogeneous distribution of photons collected in the photon collector CP.

[0044] Also, for example, and as illustrated, but not limited to, in [Fig. 2], the lighting device DE may also include a mounting piece PF to which the photon source SP, the diffusion piece GL1, and the light guide GL2 are fixedly attached, and which is intended to be fixedly attached to the piece PZ, for example, by screwing and / or riveting and / or clipping. Here, the mounting piece PF has an L-shaped bracket to allow the light guide GL2 and the photon source SP to be attached to its horizontal part and the diffusion piece GL1 to its vertical part. However, it could have other shapes.

[0045] It should be noted, as illustrated non-limitingly in [Fig. 2], that the lighting device DE may also include at least one protective piece PT arranged to protect, by surrounding them, the light guide GL2 and the photon collector CP (except for its front face FV2), as well as possibly the photon source SP. This protective piece PT is fixedly attached to the mounting piece PF.

Claims

Demands

1. A lighting device (ED) for a door (PV) suitable for equipping a vehicle and comprising a zone (ZP) having a sub-part (SPZ) having a gripping recess (PP), said lighting device (ED) comprising a source (SP) suitable for generating photons for a diffusion element (GL1) having a front face (FV1) suitable for delivering these photons at an edge (BZ) of said zone (ZP), the lighting device (ED) further comprising i) a light guide (GL2) suitable for transferring said generated photons to an inlet (El) of said diffusion element (GL1), and ii) a photon collector (CP) suitable for collecting photons present in a sub-part (SPG) of said light guide (GL2), intended to be located substantially at said gripping recess (PP), for delivering them at said sub-part (SPZ) of the zone (ZP) to illuminate said recess gripping (PP),characterized in that said sub-part (SPG) of the light guide (GL2) comprises, on a rear face (FR2) opposite said photon collector (CP), three-dimensional elements (ET) adapted to act on a portion of the photons that reach them to cause a distribution of these photons in said photon collector (CP).

2. Lighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that a part of said photon collector (CP), through which said collected photons are delivered, is intended to be housed in an opening (OP) defined in a part (PZ) delimiting said zone (ZP).

3. Lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said photon collector (CP) is an integral part of said light guide (GL2).

4. Lighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that said three-dimensional elements (ET) are grooves.

5. Lighting device according to claim 4, characterized in that said grooves (ET) are parallel to each other and intended to be placed vertically in said door (PV).

6. Door (PV) suitable for equipping a vehicle and comprising a zone (ZP) having a sub-part (SPZ) comprising a gripping recess (PP), characterized in that it further comprises a lighting device (DE) according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. Door according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a part (PZ) delimiting said zone (ZP) and to which said lighting device (DE) is fixedly attached.

8. Door according to claim 7, characterized in that said part (PZ) comprises an opening (OP) in which is housed a part of said photon collector (CP) of the lighting device (DE), through which said collected photons are delivered into said zone (ZP).

9. Vehicle, characterized in that it comprises at least one door (PV) according to any one of claims 6 to 8.

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