Optical modules, lamp systems, and powered vehicles

Abstract

The present invention provides an optical module, a lamp device, and a powered vehicle. The optical module comprises a substrate (120); a plurality of light source assemblies (130) mounted on the surface of the substrate, each light source assembly being independently controllable to be selectively switched on or off; a grill member (140) disposed on the surface of the substrate, the grill member comprising a plurality of cells arranged in an array, each cell defined by a cavity (141), in which at least one light source assembly is positioned; and an optical shaping element (150), the optical shaping element disposed on the light-emitting side of the plurality of light source assemblies, and an optical shaping element that shapes the light emitted from the light source assemblies to have a desired light distribution.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of illumination and / or signaling, and in particular to an optical module capable of providing a pixelated illumination effect, a lamp device comprising such an optical module, and a motor vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] It is known that various lighting or signaling devices are used to provide light for illumination or signaling in multiple fields. For example, in motor vehicles, vehicle lamps are used to provide illumination or signaling functions to ensure safe driving, or lamps having functions such as illumination, signaling or ambient decoration are installed inside or outside a space such as a vehicle cabin, an aircraft cabin, a building or a room.

[0003] A pixelated lamp device acts as an illumination or signaling device, can form an imaging illumination effect similar to an image, and thus can form various forms of light, and the setting and adjustment of light shapes are easy. It is particularly suitable for the field of illumination and signaling of motor vehicles, especially for improving safety and visibility during driving. In the prior art, digital micromirror device (DMD), DLP or LCD technologies can provide rich pixelated projection patterns, but they are very expensive. Furthermore, some conventional pixelated lamp modules using LED arrays generally suffer from problems such as optical crosstalk, insufficient uniformity, large pixel pitch and low resolution.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to solve or overcome at least one of the above and other problems and disadvantages in the prior art.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an optical module is provided, comprising: at least one substrate; a plurality of light source assemblies mounted on the surface of the substrate, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of light source assemblies are independently controllable to be selectively switched on or off; a grill member disposed on the surface of the substrate, the grill member comprising a plurality of cells arranged in an array, each cell defined by having a cavity, and at least one of the light source assemblies positioned within the cavity of each cell; and an optical shaping element, the optical shaping element being positioned on the light-emitting side of the plurality of light source assemblies, and shaping the light emitted from the plurality of light source assemblies to have a desired light distribution.

[0006] In some embodiments, the grill member is flexible or bendable.

[0007] In some embodiments, the grille member is attached in close contact with the substrate and the optical shaping element.

[0008] In some embodiments, the optical module is flexible or bendable; The substrate comprises a flexible circuit board or a bendable circuit board; the optical shaping element is flexible or bendable; Each light source assembly comprises one or more LEDs.

[0009] In some embodiments, the substrate material includes FR4; The thickness of the substrate is less than 1 mm; The circuit board is a single, integrated component.

[0010] In some embodiments, the grille member comprises partitions defining multiple cells, the partitions extending between the substrate and the photoshaping element; The partition wall extends perpendicularly or inclined to the surface of the substrate, and the partition wall is either a planar surface or an arc-shaped surface.

[0011] In some embodiments, one end of the partition wall distal to the surface of the substrate has a width dimension of 1 mm or less in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0012] In some embodiments, a reflective layer is provided on the wall surface of the partition; or, The partition is black.

[0013] In some embodiments, the material of the grill member includes at least one of silicone rubber, TPU, TPV, and EPDM; and / or The material of the grill component (140) includes at least one of PC, PA, PBT, and ABS.

[0014] In some embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of each cell in a plane perpendicular to the thickness direction of the grill member includes at least one of the following shapes: circular, polygonal, heart-shaped, pentagram-shaped, hexagram-shaped, and arrow-shaped.

[0015] In some embodiments, each cell is provided with an opening distal to the substrate, the opening being defined by the cell partition wall, The optical shaping element includes a first optical film or lens, which is positioned on a partition and covers at least the apertures of a plurality of cells and is directly opposite a light source assembly positioned within the cell cavities, and the first optical film or lens is configured to diffuse and homogenize the light emitted from the light source assembly and / or to change the direction of the light emitted from the light source assembly.

[0016] In some embodiments, a pattern is formed on a first optical film, the pattern being made of an opaque material, and is intended to form a desired light distribution; The grid cell shape of the pattern is identical to the cell shape of the grill member, and the grid cells of the pattern are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the cells of the grill member; or, the overall shape of multiple grid cells of the pattern is identical to the shape of a single cell of the grill member.

[0017] In some embodiments, when viewed from one side of the first optical film facing away from the partition, the partition is covered with an opaque material that forms a pattern.

[0018] In some embodiments, the photoshaping element further includes a second optical film, the second optical film being positioned on one side of the first optical film facing away from the partition; A gap exists between the first optical film and the second optical film, or the first optical film and the second optical film are attached to each other.

[0019] In some embodiments, the second optical film is configured to further diffuse and homogenize the light from the first optical film and / or to change the direction of the light from the first optical film; Alternatively, the second optical film is configured to compress and protect the first optical film, and the second optical film has a metallic texture; Alternatively, the second optical film comprises a PDLC film, which is transparent when the power is on and opaque when the power is off.

[0020] In some embodiments, at least one of the first optical film and the second optical film has a microstructure formed on it, the microstructure being formed on the incident light surface, the exit light surface and / or inside the optical film; The microstructure is constructed to diffuse and shape the light passing through at least one optical film, thereby forming a desired pattern in the light distribution emitted from at least one optical film.

[0021] In some embodiments, the optical module further, The system includes a light projection element positioned on one side of a light shaping element facing away from the light source assembly, and the light shaped through the light shaping element is projected onto the target position by the light projection element. The light projection element includes a lens.

[0022] In some embodiments, the grill member has a uniform thickness; the partition walls of the grill member are bendable and elastically deformable; each partition wall comprises a first side wall and a second side wall, the upper ends of which are connected to each other, the lower ends of the first side wall and the second side wall are spaced apart from each other, a partition recess is provided between the first side wall and the second side wall, and the partition wall is in a "V" shape.

[0023] In some embodiments, the thickness of the partition recess is equal to or greater than 1 / 2 of the thickness of the partition wall; the distance between the lower ends of the first side wall and the second side wall is equal to or greater than 1 / 4 of the thickness of the partition recess.

[0024] In some embodiments, the grill member is provided with a plurality of positioning protrusions, the plurality of positioning protrusions are disposed on the lower surface of the grill member at a position near the edge of the lower surface, and the positioning protrusions are used to be inserted into positioning holes on the surface of a substrate, whereby the grill member is pre-mounted on the substrate.

[0025] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an embodiment further provides a lamp device, comprising a housing and the optical module according to any one embodiment of the present disclosure, the optical module being at least partially disposed within the housing. In some embodiments, the lamp device comprises at least one of an illumination lamp, a signal lamp and an ambient lamp for use in a powered vehicle.

[0026] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an embodiment further provides a powered vehicle, comprising the optical module or the lamp device according to any one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] The following detailed description of the present disclosure, with reference to the accompanying drawings, will clarify other objects and advantages of the present disclosure, and can help achieve a comprehensive understanding of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] These and / or other aspects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent and readily apparent from the following description of some exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a lamp device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of a lamp device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, with the light projection element and light shaping element removed. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an exploded view showing the structure of a lamp device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the assembled state of an optical module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of a lamp device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a portion of the structure of a lamp device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is an exemplary schematic diagram showing a pattern that can be projected by a lamp device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows a front view of a lamp device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows a cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 8. [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows a cross-sectional view along line BB in Figure 8. [Figure 11] Figure 11 shows a magnified view E1 of Figure 10. [Figure 12] Figure 12 shows a schematic three-dimensional structure of the top view of the grill member in Figures 6 and 8. [Figure 13] Figure 13 shows a schematic three-dimensional view of the bottom structure of the grill component in Figure 12. [Figure 14] Figure 14 shows a top view of the grill component in Figure 12. [Figure 15] Figure 15 shows a magnified view of a partial cross-section of the grill member A1-A1 in Figure 14. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0029] Embodiments of the present disclosure are described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, where identical or similar components are indicated by identical or similar reference numerals. The following description of embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings is intended to illustrate the overall concepts of the present disclosure and should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure.

[0030] Furthermore, in the following detailed description, many specific details are presented to facilitate explanation and to promote a comprehensive understanding of the embodiments of this disclosure. However, it is clear that one or more embodiments may be carried out without these specific details. In other cases, well-known structures and devices are shown in schematic form for the sake of simplifying the drawings.

[0031] Figure 1 schematically shows a lamp device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 schematically shows a perspective view of the structure of a lamp device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the lamp device 100 comprises a housing 110, and the optical module may be at least partially mounted within the housing 110, for example, within a housing space 111 of the housing 110.

[0032] As shown in Figures 1-7, an optical module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure mainly comprises at least one substrate 120, a light source assembly 130, a grille member 140, and an optical shaping element 150, etc. In the present disclosure, the specific form of the substrate 120 and the light source assembly 130 is not limited; for example, the substrate 120 may be a flexible substrate, such as a flexible circuit board or a bendable circuit board. The grille member 140 and the optical shaping element 150 may be flexible or bendable, and the entire optical module may also be flexible or bendable, adapting to different mounting spaces and forming various forms of optical modules. Furthermore, the flexible grille member 140 may have a thinner thickness. In some embodiments, the material of the substrate 120 may be FR4 and its thickness may be less than 1 mm; the substrate 120 may also be a single piece, and the entire substrate 120 may be a single piece that can be bent at a certain angle, thereby forming various shapes and satisfying regulatory requirements regarding the angle of emitted light. Of course, in some application scenarios where bending is not used, circuit boards of normal thickness can also be used, for example, a circuit board with a thickness of 1.6 mm; in this case, the flexible or bendable grill member 140 can closely fit the substrate 120 and the optical shaping element 150, thereby ensuring a close fit with the substrate 120 and the optical shaping element 150, making the overall structure of the optical module more compact and providing better dust protection. Furthermore, each light source assembly 130 may have one or more LEDs. Multiple light source assemblies 130 are mounted on the surface of the substrate 120, and the grill member 140 is also positioned on this surface of the substrate 120, surrounding the light source assemblies 130. The grill member 140 comprises multiple cells arranged in a matrix or array, each cell defined by a cavity 141, and at least one light source assembly 130 is positioned within the cavity 141 of each cell.At least some of the multiple light source assemblies 130 are independently controllable, preferably each light source assembly 130 is independently controllable to be selectively switched on (i.e., illuminated) or off (i.e., turned off) according to specific pattern display requirements, so that the light emitted from the on or illuminated light source assembly 130 may have a pixelated light distribution or illumination effect after passing through the corresponding cell or after being defined or restricted by the grille member 140.

[0033] The light shaping element 150 may be positioned on the light-emitting side of the light source assembly 130 or on the side of the light source assembly 130 opposite to the substrate 120, and shapes the light emitted from the light source assembly 130 to have a desired light distribution. In this disclosure, the term “shaping” includes, but is not limited to, light diffusion, uniformization, redirection, pattern formation, etc., as described below. Thus, the light emitted from the entire optical module may have a pixelated and patterned distribution, providing a desired function such as illumination or signaling.

[0034] In the embodiments shown, as shown in Figures 1 and 3-6, the optical module may further comprise a light projection element 160, which is positioned on one side of the light shaping element 150 away from the light source assembly 130, and the light shaped through the light shaping element 150 (such as a pixelated light beam with or without a pattern) is projected onto a target position by the light projection element 160. In applications of vehicle lamps, the light projection element 160 may act as a light distribution lens or lampshade and comprises a lens, prism, reflector, light guide, or a combination thereof. As shown in Figures 1, 3, 5, and 6, the lamp device 100 may comprise a decorative plate or cover plate 170 having an opening, and the light projection element 160 is embedded in the opening of the cover plate 170 and covers the light shaping element 150. The cover plate 170 may be fixed to a housing 110, holding the optical module within the housing 110. For example, the substrate 120 and the cover plate 170 may be detachably fixed to each other using fasteners 171 (see Figure 5).

[0035] In the embodiments shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5-7, the grill member 140 includes partition walls 142 that intersect with each other and define a plurality of cells, each cell having an opening spaced apart from the substrate 120 and defined by the partition walls 142; that is, each cell is sealed at one end by the substrate 120 and open at the other opposite end, facilitating the emission of light transmitted by a light source assembly 130 positioned within the cell. Descriptively, the wall surface 1421 of the partition wall 142 may extend perpendicularly or at an angle to the surface of the substrate 120, thereby guiding the light from the light source assembly 130 located within the cell cavity 141 to be emitted along the contour of the space defined by the wall surface 1421 of the partition wall 142 of that cell, without interference or crosstalk with light emitted from light source assemblies 130 in adjacent cells; thus, each cell and the light source assembly 130 located within it jointly define a “pixel” for emitting light, thereby enabling the entire optical module to emit a pixelated light beam.

[0036] The cross-section of each cell, for example, a cross-section parallel to the surface of the substrate 120 or a cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the thickness direction of the grill member (direction Y shown in the figure), has a desired “pixel” shape, which may be, for example, a circular or polygonal shape such as a triangle, rectangle, square, rhombus, pentagon, hexagon, etc., or may be custom or freely designed, for example, a heart shape, pentagram shape, hexagram shape, and arrow shape as shown in [Figure 7], satisfying different pixelation pattern requirements. In exemplary embodiments, the grill member 140 or at least its partition wall 142 may be formed from a flexible or deformable material such as silicone rubber, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic vulcanized material (TPV), and ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), and / or the material of the grill member 140 includes at least one of polycarbonate (PC), polyamide (PA), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS). This makes it bendable and adaptable to different mounting positions, particularly non-flat or curved mounting positions; the optical module of this embodiment conforms to form a 3D model and can emit light uniformly, thereby making the light emitted from the optical module more visible and improving the driving safety of the powered vehicle. The grille member or at least its partition is opaque to prevent crosstalk of light from light source assemblies 130 in adjacent cells. For example, the grille member 140 may be black, but in another embodiment, the grille member 140 may be white or gray.

[0037] As an example, the grille member 140 may be appropriately configured (e.g., molded) to satisfy at least one of the following dimensions: the partition wall 142 has a thickness dimension H of 20 mm or less, or more specifically 10 mm or less, in a first direction Y (also called the thickness direction of the grille member) perpendicular to the surface of the substrate 120, and can be as thin as 0.5 mm, thereby reducing the overall thickness of the optical module and making the structure more compact; one end (open end) of the partition wall 142 that is spaced away from the surface of the substrate 120 has a width dimension W (distance between adjacent cells, which can be considered as the "pixel spacing") of 1 mm or less in a direction perpendicular to the first direction Y (such as directions X and Z in the figure); and one end (open end) of the partition wall 142 that is spaced away from the surface of the substrate 120 has a length dimension L (length or width of a cell, which can be considered as the "pixel pitch") in a direction perpendicular to the first direction Y (such as directions X and Z in the figure) in the range of 3 mm to 20 mm, for example, in the range of 5 mm to 10 mm. Furthermore, it will be understood that the dimensions, shape, and number of the grill components and their cells can be appropriately customized or adjusted according to actual requirements. Compared to conventional technology, pixel spacing of 1 mm or less can achieve better resolution and a more uniform lighting effect.

[0038] Furthermore, a reflective layer may be placed on the wall surface 1421 of the partition wall 142 facing the cell cavity 141; the reflective layer may be, for example, a spray paint layer or an aluminum coating, and the reflective layer may reflect light emitted from the light source assembly 130, thereby allowing more light to exit from the cell aperture and improving the overall optical effect of the optical module. Of course, in some embodiments, the reflective layer may not be provided; for example, the partition wall 142 may be set to black, as black has a greater concealing effect and avoids affecting the overall appearance of the optical module.

[0039] In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 3-7, the optical shaping element 150 comprises a first optical film 151, which covers the grill member 140. Specifically, the first optical film 151 is positioned on a partition wall 142, for example, in contact with the open end of the partition wall 142, covering at least the openings of a plurality of cells in the grill member 140, and facing the light source assembly 130 positioned (e.g., directly) within the cell cavities 141. The first optical film 151 may be a light diffusion film or a homogenizing film used to diffuse / homogenize the light emitted from the light source assembly 130, or, depending on requirements, the first optical film 151 may be a light deflection film used to change or deflect the direction of the light emitted from the light source assembly 130. Due to the presence of the first optical film 151, when viewed from one side of the first optical film away from the partition wall 142, the partition wall 142 is covered by an opaque material that forms a pattern, and the partition wall 142 is not visible whether the light source assembly 130 is lit or unlit. The light projection element 160 is positioned on the side of the first optical film 151 away from the grill member 140, covers the first optical film 151, and projects outward a pixelated light beam shaped through the grill member 140 and the first optical film 151.

[0040] In some embodiments, a pattern may be provided on the first optical film 151, the pattern being made of an opaque material and forming a desired light distribution. The grid cell shape of the pattern is identical to the cell shape of the grill member 140, the grid cells of the pattern are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the cells of the grill member 140, and the pattern is opaque. Specifically, the pattern may be formed with black ink to prevent light crosstalk on the first optical film 151 and form a desired light distribution. In some applications, the pattern may also satisfy specific style requirements. The pattern may be formed on the upper or lower surface of the first optical film 151. In some embodiments, the overall shape of multiple grid cells of the pattern may be set to be identical to the shape of a single cell of the grill member 140, thereby further dividing the pixels.

[0041] In the embodiment shown in [Figure 6], the optical shaping element 150 may further comprise a second optical film 152, the second optical film 152 positioned on the side of the first optical film 151 away from the partition wall 142; a gap G exists between the first optical film 151 and the second optical film 152, the presence of which can further homogenize the light emitted from the first optical film 151 and reduce or prevent the presence of distinct dark areas between the light beams emitted from the cell. In another embodiment, in situations where such dark areas are not distinct, do not exist, or do not affect the overall emitted light effect, for example, when the width dimension of the partition wall is sufficiently small, or when the diffusion and homogenization by the second optical film 152 is sufficient, the first optical film 151 and the second optical film 152 may fit together, for example, closely without a gap G. The light projection element 160 is positioned on the side of the second optical film 152 away from the first optical film 151, covering the second optical film 152 and projecting outward the shaped pixelated light beam through the grille member 140, the first optical film 151, and the second optical film 152. The second optical film 152 may be similar to or different from the first optical film 151 in terms of material and function, etc.; for example, the second optical film 152 may be configured to further diffuse and homogenize the light from the first optical film, or to change the direction of the light from the first optical film. The patterns described in the embodiments above may also be formed on the second optical film 152.

[0042] As an example, at least one of the first optical film 151 and the second optical film 152 may be formed with a plurality of microstructures such as micro-recesses, micro-protrusions, or other light-guiding structures; the plurality of microstructures are configured or arranged to diffuse and shape the light passing through the optical film, thereby forming a desired pattern or symbol (for example, as shown in [Figure 7]) in the light distribution emitted from the optical film. The microstructures may be formed on the upper surface, i.e., the emitted light surface, or the lower surface, i.e., the incident light surface, of the first optical film 151, and on the upper surface, i.e., the emitted light surface, or the lower surface, i.e., the incident light surface, of the second optical film 152, and of course, also inside the first optical film 151 and / or the second optical film 152.

[0043] In another embodiment, the second optical film 152 is configured to compress and protect the first optical film 151, thereby giving the first optical film 151 better mounting quality and better stability, and preventing external contamination from adversely affecting the elements inside the optical module. Furthermore, the second optical film 152 may have a metallic texture, thereby making the overall appearance of the optical module more visible and improving driving safety.

[0044] In another embodiment, the first optical film 151 may be a light-diffusing or light-deflecting film, and the second optical film 152 may be a PDLC (polymer-dispersed liquid crystal) film, and the first optical film 151 may fit closely to the second optical film 152 without any gaps G. When the power is off, the PDLC film is opaque, for example, frosted glass, so that the internal structure of the optical module cannot be seen from the outside, for example, the grille member 140, the optical assembly 130 and the substrate 120 cannot be seen from the outside, thereby achieving a more aesthetically pleasing appearance and making it easier to protect privacy. When the power is on, the PDLC film is transparent, maintaining the transparency of the optical module and thereby ensuring the proper illumination function of the optical module.

[0045] As an example, the light shaping element 150, for example, a first optical film 151, a second optical film 152, and / or light diffusing material 153, may be formed from at least one of polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), epoxy resin, and other materials, or may comprise a light-adjusting film such as a PDLC film or other material or structure capable of shaping or adjusting the light distribution, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0046] Figure 8 shows a front view of a lamp device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 9 shows a cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 8; Figure 10 shows a cross-sectional view along line BB in Figure 8; and Figure 11 shows a partial enlarged view E1 of Figure 10.

[0047] As shown in Figure 8-11, in some embodiments, the optical shaping element 150 may include a lens 154, which is used to replace the first optical film 151; the lens 154 is positioned directly on the partition wall 142, covering at least the openings of multiple cells and directly facing the light source assembly 130 positioned within the cell cavities 141. Correspondingly, the lens 154 is configured to diffuse and homogenize the light emitted from the light source assembly 130 and / or to change the direction of the light emitted from the light source assembly 130. Since lenses are generally rigid and not bendable, in some application scenarios requiring a 3D emitting light surface, a lens having a 3D emitting light surface may be used, in which case the grille member 140 is bent to match the shape of the emitting light surface of the lens 154 and pressed onto the lens 154, thereby achieving 3D modeling of the entire optical module. Furthermore, depending on the optical requirements, another optical structure may be placed on the lens 154, thereby giving the lens 154 various functions similar to an optical film, but these will not be described again here. Of course, in some embodiments, an optical film can be placed on the inner surface of the lens 154 by in-mold injection molding. Embodiments of the present application can also provide a configuration with only an optical film and no lens, a configuration with only a lens and no optical film, or both an optical film and a lens.

[0048] Figure 12 shows a schematic three-dimensional structure of the top view of the grill member in Figures 6 and 8; Figure 13 shows a schematic three-dimensional structure of the bottom view of the grill member in Figure 12; Figure 14 shows a top view of the grill member in Figure 12; and Figure 15 shows an enlarged partial cross-sectional view A1-A1 of the grill member in Figure 14.

[0049] As shown in Figure 12-15, the grill member 140 in some embodiments of the present application is flexible, i.e., the partition wall 142 of the grill member 140 is bendable and elastically deformable. The grill member 140 generally has a uniform thickness when not deformed, but can be deformed to a certain extent to meet model requirements if required by the application. In this embodiment, the partition wall 142 may comprise a first side wall 1421 and a second side wall 1422 whose upper ends are connected to each other, the lower ends of the first side wall 1421 and the second side wall 1422 are spaced apart from each other, i.e., a partition recess 1423 is provided between the first side wall 1421 and the second side wall 1422, and the partition wall 142 is generally "V" shaped. The partition recess 1423 allows the grill member 140 to be elastically deformed in the direction of the partition recess 1423. Preferably, the thickness h of the partition recess 1423 may be set to be at least half the thickness H of the partition wall 142; the distance d between the lower ends of the first side wall 1421 and the second side wall 1422 is at least one-quarter the thickness h of the partition recess 1423. This ensures a certain range of elastic deformation while providing structural stability. In some embodiments, several optical structures may be further arranged on the side surface of the partition wall 142 to guide the light emitted from the light source assembly 130 at an appropriate angle.

[0050] The grill member 140 may be provided with a plurality of positioning protrusions 145, which are positioned on the lower surface of the grill member 140 and near the edges of the lower surface, for example, at the four corners or the edges of the long sides of the lower surface of the grill member 140. Furthermore, referring to [Figure 9], the positioning protrusions 145 are used to be inserted into positioning holes 121 on the surface of the substrate 120, thereby pre-mounting the grill member 140 on the substrate 120 and facilitating subsequent mounting processes.

[0051] Embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a lamp device 100 comprising an optical module described in any one embodiment of the present disclosure, which is capable of providing a pixelated light distribution with or without patterns or symbols. The lamp device may function as a lighting or signaling device, for example, as a lighting lamp, signaling lamp, ambient lamp, etc., on a powered vehicle or other means of transport, and may be used at a target location such as a road, wall, vehicle interior or other desired location (in or out of a space such as inside or outside a building or room), and may project a desired pattern, such as a personalized pattern such as a smiley face, heart symbol, flower, animal or plant, vehicle logo, or vehicle driving-related information such as vehicle speed, turn arrow, driving arrow, lane, and information such as road construction, warning / display signs, letter symbols, etc., to achieve functions such as lighting and signaling. Figure 7 shows some examples of patterns projected by the lamp device, and the patterns corresponding to each cell may or may not be the same as, but are not limited to, the present disclosure.

[0052] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1-3 and 5, the housing 110 of the lamp device 100 comprises a first portion 112 and a second portion 113 having, for example, an L-shaped contour or other shapes; the first portion 112 may be open and comprises a bottom wall 1121 and side walls 1122 defining a housing space 111 for receiving an optical module, and ventilation holes or heat dissipation holes 1123 may be formed on the bottom wall 1121. The second portion 113 acts as a base and may be used to house other assemblies of the lamp device, such as a connector 181 electrically connected to a substrate 120 and / or a light source assembly 130 thereon, a drive circuit board 182, etc.

[0053] Embodiments of this disclosure further provide a powered vehicle comprising an optical module or lamp device as described in any one of the embodiments described above.

[0054] This disclosure has been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the embodiments disclosed in the drawings are intended to illustrate preferred embodiments of this disclosure and should not be construed as limiting this disclosure. The dimensional ratios in the drawings are approximate and should not be construed as limiting this disclosure.

[0055] While several embodiments of the general concepts of this disclosure have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that modifications can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general concepts of this disclosure. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An optical module, wherein the optical module is: At least one substrate (120) and; A plurality of light source assemblies (130) mounted on the surface of the substrate, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of light source assemblies are independently controllable to selectively switch on or off; A grill member (140) disposed on the surface of the substrate, the grill member comprising a plurality of cells arranged in an array, each cell defined by a cavity (141), and at least one of the light source assemblies positioned in the cavity of each cell; A light shaping element (150) is provided, wherein the light shaping element is positioned on the light-emitting side of the plurality of light source assemblies and shapes the light emitted from the plurality of light source assemblies to have a desired light distribution; Equipped with, The grille member is flexible or bendable, in an optical module.

2. The grille member fits closely to the substrate and the photoshaping element; The optical module is flexible or bendable; The substrate comprises a flexible circuit board or a bendable circuit board; The aforementioned photoshaping element is flexible or bendable; The optical module according to claim 1, wherein each light source assembly comprises one or more LEDs.

3. The material of the substrate includes FR4; The thickness of the aforementioned substrate is less than 1 mm; The optical module according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is an integral component.

4. The grill member (140) comprises partitions (142) defining the plurality of cells, the partitions (142) extending between the substrate (120) and the photoshaping element (150); The optical module according to claim 1, wherein the wall surface (1421) of the partition wall (142) extends perpendicularly or inclined with respect to the surface of the substrate, and the wall surface (1421) of the partition wall is a planar or arc-shaped surface.

5. One end of the partition wall that is spaced apart from the surface of the substrate has a width dimension (W) of 1 mm or less in a direction perpendicular to the first direction (Y), and the first direction is the thickness direction of the grill member. The optical module according to claim 4, wherein a reflective layer is provided on the wall surface (1421) of the partition wall (142); or the partition wall (142) is black.

6. The material of the grill member (140) includes at least one of silicone rubber, TPU, TPV, and EPDM; and / or The optical module according to claim 1, wherein the material of the grill member (140) includes at least one of PC, PA, PBT, and ABS.

7. Each cell is provided with an opening that is spaced apart from the substrate (120) and defined by the partition wall (142) of the cell, The optical module according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the optical shaping element (150) comprises a first optical film (151) or lens (154), the first optical film or lens being positioned in the partition wall, covering at least the openings of the plurality of cells, and facing directly the light source assembly positioned in the cavities of the cells, and the first optical film or lens being configured to diffuse and homogenize the light emitted from the light source assembly and / or to change the direction of the light emitted from the light source assembly.

8. A pattern is formed on the first optical film (151), the pattern is made of an opaque material, and forms a desired light distribution; The grid cell shape of the pattern is the same as the cell shape of the grill member (140), and the grid cells of the pattern are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the cells of the grill member (140); or the overall shape of multiple grid cells of the pattern is the same as the shape of one cell of the grill member (140); The optical module according to claim 7, wherein, when viewed from one side of the first optical film away from the partition wall, the partition wall is covered by the opaque material forming the pattern.

9. The optical shaping element (150) further comprises a second optical film (152), the second optical film being positioned on one side of the first optical film away from the partition; The optical module according to claim 7, wherein a gap (G) exists between the first optical film and the second optical film, or the first optical film and the second optical film are compatible with each other.

10. The second optical film is configured to further diffuse and homogenize the light from the first optical film, and / or to change the direction of the light from the first optical film; Alternatively, the second optical film is configured to compress and protect the first optical film, and the second optical film has a metallic texture; Alternatively, the optical module according to claim 9, wherein the second optical film comprises a PDLC film, and the PDLC film is transparent when the power is on and opaque when the power is off.

11. At least one of the first optical film and the second optical film is formed with a microstructure, the microstructure being formed on the incident light surface, the outgoing light surface and / or inside the optical film; The optical module according to claim 9, wherein the microstructure is configured to diffuse and shape light passing through at least one of the optical films, thereby forming a desired pattern in the light distribution emitted from at least one of the optical films.

12. The optical module further includes: The optical shaping element (150) is further provided with an optical projection element (160) located on one side away from the light source assembly (130), wherein the light shaped through the optical shaping element is projected onto a target position by the optical projection element. The optical module according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and 8 to 11, wherein the light projection element comprises a lens.

13. The grill member (140) has a uniform thickness; The partition wall (142) of the grill member (140) is bendable and elastically deformable; The optical module according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the partition wall (142) comprises a first side wall (1421) and a second side wall (1422), the upper ends of the first side wall (1421) and the second side wall (1422) are connected to each other, the lower ends of the first side wall and the second side wall are spaced apart from each other, a partition recess (1423) is provided between the first side wall and the second side wall, and the partition wall is in the shape of a "V".

14. The thickness (h) of the partition recess (1423) is 1 / 2 or more of the thickness (H) of the partition wall (142); The optical module according to claim 13, wherein the distance (d) between the lower ends of the first side wall and the second side wall is 1 / 4 or more of the thickness (h) of the partition recess (1423).

15. The optical module according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the grill member (140) comprises a plurality of positioning protrusions (145), the plurality of positioning protrusions being positioned on the lower surface of the grill member and close to the edge of the lower surface, and the positioning protrusions are used to be inserted into positioning holes (121) on the surface of the substrate (120), thereby pre-attaching the grill member (140) to the substrate (120).

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