Luminous grille with independent lights, for a vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a luminous grille (CL) with which a vehicle is equipped, and comprising: • - a central part (PCL) comprising a logo, • - a first lighting device (DE1) generating first photons illuminating the central part (PCL), • - two lateral parts (PLB2) installed to the right and to the left of the central part (PCL), • - a second lighting device generating second photons illuminating the lateral parts (PLB2), and • - isolation elements (El) able to prevent the passage of first photons to the lateral parts (PLB2) and of second photons to the central part (PCL).

Description

DESCRIPTION TITLE: LUMINOUS GRILLE WITH INDEPENDENT LIGHTING, FOR A VEHICLE Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention claims priority from French application 2400507 filed on 18.01.2024, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is incorporated herein by reference. The invention relates to luminous grilles intended to be installed in the central areas of the front ends of certain vehicles. State of the art

[0002] Some vehicles, generally of the automobile type, include a luminous grille installed in the central area of their front end, and comprising a central part bearing a logo and a lighting device capable of generating photons intended to illuminate this central part (possibly from the rear). Sometimes, the central part is housed in a cavity defined by a housing of the luminous grille and closed by a protective glass fixedly secured to the housing, for example by welding or gluing.

[0003] This lighting is primarily intended to highlight the logo of the illuminated grille, and therefore does not specifically highlight one or more other parts of the illuminated grille. As a result, certain technical or stylistic effects cannot be achieved, and the diversity of vehicle lighting signatures is very limited.

[0004] The invention therefore aims in particular to improve the situation. Presentation of the invention

[0005] For this purpose, it proposes in particular a luminous grille suitable for equipping a central area of a front end of a vehicle, and comprising a central part including a logo and a first lighting device suitable for generating first photons intended to illuminate the central part.

[0006] This luminous grille is characterized by the fact that it also includes:

[0007] - two side parts installed to the right and left of the central part,

[0008] - a second lighting device capable of generating second photons intended to illuminate the side parts, and

[0009] - isolation elements capable of preventing the passage of first photons towards the side parts and second photons towards the central part.

[0010] Thanks to these independent lights, dedicated respectively to the specific highlights of the central part and the two side parts, and not interfering with each other, it is now possible to obtain certain technical or stylistic effects, and to increase the diversity of the vehicles' light signatures.

[0011] The luminous grille according to the invention may include other characteristics which may be taken separately or in combination, and in particular:

[0012] - its central part may comprise two external lateral edges each provided with an insulating element, and / or each of its lateral parts may comprise an internal lateral edge oriented towards one of the external lateral edges and provided with an insulating element;

[0013] - in the presence of the first option, each external lateral edge may comprise a rear wall extending towards the rear and then behind the corresponding lateral part by defining a cavity housing a corresponding internal lateral edge and defining an isolation element;

[0014] - each of its lateral parts may comprise, on the one hand, a rear mask installed to the right or left of its central part and suitable for masking technical parts of the luminous grille, and, on the other hand, an internal window installed to the right or left of its central part in front of the rear mask. In this case, the second lighting device may be suitable for generating second photons intended to illuminate these internal windows;

[0015] - in the presence of the latter option, each of the internal windows may comprise a front face on which three-dimensional elements are defined, together defining a radiator grille;

[0016] - the first lighting device may comprise a light diffuser installed behind the central part and capable of diffusing the first photons generated towards a rear face of the latter;

[0017] - in the presence of the last two options, the first lighting device may comprise at least one photon source capable of generating the first photons for the light diffuser, and the second lighting device may comprise two photon sources capable of generating the second photons respectively for the internal windows;

[0018] - in the presence of the last option, each photon source can include at least one light-emitting diode.

[0019] The invention also provides a vehicle, possibly of the automobile type, and comprising, on the one hand, a front end comprising a central zone, and, on the other hand, a luminous grille of the type presented above and installed in the central part of this front end. Brief description of the figures

[0020] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description below, and the attached drawings (obtained in CAD / CAM (“Computer Aided Design / Computer Aided Drawing”)), in which:

[0021] [Fig. 1] schematically and functionally illustrates, in a perspective view from the front face side, an exemplary embodiment of a luminous grille according to the invention,

[0022] [Fig. 2] schematically and functionally illustrates, in a perspective view, elements of the luminous grille of Figure 1, before their assembly, and

[0023] [Fig. 3] schematically illustrates, in a sectional view in a horizontal plane, a part of the luminous grille of figure 1. Detailed description of the invention

[0024] The invention aims in particular to propose a luminous grille CL intended to be installed in a central zone of a front end of a vehicle, and having independent lighting.

[0025] In the following, it is considered, by way of non-limiting example, that the vehicle is of the automobile type. For example, it is a car. But the invention is not limited to this type of vehicle. It relates in fact to any vehicle comprising a front end having a central zone to accommodate a luminous grille.

[0026] In Figures 1 to 3, the X direction is intended to be parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, which is substantially parallel to the lateral (or longitudinal) sides comprising the side doors, the Y direction is intended to be parallel to the transverse direction of the vehicle, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X, and the Z direction is intended to be parallel to the vertical direction of the vehicle, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal directions X and transverse directions Y.

[0027] Furthermore, in the foregoing and following the concept of "front" is defined in relation to the front end of the vehicle, and the concept of "rear" is defined in relation to the rear end of the vehicle (opposite the front end). Consequently, the front part of an element is (intended to be) oriented towards the front end of the vehicle, while the rear part of that element is (intended to be) oriented towards the rear end of the vehicle.

[0028] Figures 1 to 3 schematically illustrate, at least partially, an example of an embodiment of a luminous grille CL according to the invention (assembled (figures 1 and 3) or unassembled (figure 2)), intended to be installed in the central zone of the front end of a vehicle (here a car).

[0029] As illustrated at least partially in Figures 1 to 3, a luminous grille CL, according to the invention, comprising at least one central part PCL comprising a logo LO (representative of the vehicle brand), first DE1 and second DE2 lighting devices, right and left lateral parts PLBj (j = 1 or 2), and insulating elements El.

[0030] Preferably, the light grille CL also comprises a housing BC which at least partially delimits a cavity CB which houses in particular the central part PCL, the first DE1 and second DE2 lighting devices, the lateral parts PLBj and the insulation elements El (see figure 3).

[0031] As illustrated at least partially in Figures 1 to 3, the luminous grille CL may also include a protective glass GP fixedly secured to the housing BC by closing the cavity CB in front of the central part PCL and the side parts PLBj. This fixed fastening may be done, for example, by welding or gluing. But it could also be done by screwing and / or clipping.

[0032] In the presence of a BC box, the CL light grille is installed in a central PCB part of this BC box, while the PLBj side parts are respectively installed on the right and left of the PCL central part in right and left side sub-parts of the BC housing.

[0033] The first lighting device DE1 is arranged to generate first photons which are intended to illuminate the central part PCL.

[0034] The second lighting device DE2 is arranged to generate second photons which are intended to illuminate the lateral parts PLBj.

[0035] As illustrated at least partially in Figure 3, the isolation elements El are suitable for preventing the passage of first photons towards the lateral parts PLBj and of second photons towards the central part PCL. They therefore provide an “anti-light leakage” function.

[0036] This provides two independent lighting units dedicated respectively to the specific highlighting of the central PCL part (and its LO logo) and to the specific highlighting of the two PLBj side parts, and which do not interfere with each other thanks to the El isolation elements. This makes it possible to obtain certain technical or style effects, and to increase the diversity of the vehicles' light signatures.

[0037] For example, and as illustrated non-limitingly and at least partially in Figures 2 and 3, the central part PCL may comprise two external lateral edges BLEj which are opposite each other and each provided with an insulating element El, and / or each of the lateral parts PLBj may comprise an internal lateral edge BLIj which is oriented towards one of the external lateral edges BLEj and provided with an insulating element. It will be noted that in the example illustrated non-limitingly in Figure 2 only the central part PCL comprises two external lateral edges BLEj provided with insulating elements El. But in alternative embodiments not illustrated only the lateral parts PLBj could comprise internal lateral edges BLIj provided with insulating elements, or the central part PCL could comprise two external lateral edges BLEj provided with insulation elements El and the lateral parts PLBj could comprise internal lateral edges BLIj provided with insulation elements (possibly cooperating and respectively with the insulation elements El).

[0038] Also for example, and as illustrated non-limitingly and at least partially in Figures 2 and 3, each external lateral edge BLEj may comprise a rear wall which extends towards the rear then behind the corresponding lateral part PLBj by defining a cavity housing the corresponding internal lateral edge BLIj, and which defines an isolation element El. It will be understood that thus each internal lateral edge BLIj is surrounded (here over its entire height) by an isolation element El corresponding to the central part PCL, which makes it possible to distinguish them from one another and above all to prevent the transfer of photons from one to the other (and vice versa).

[0039] Also for example, and as illustrated non-limitingly and at least partially in Figure 3, each rear wall El can be fixedly secured to the internal face of the housing BC so as to prevent it (El) from striking the corresponding internal lateral edge BLIj. In addition, this makes it possible to reinforce the immobilization of the central part PCL relative to the housing BC. But this is not an obligation. It will be noted that in the example illustrated non-limitingly in Figure 3, the securing is done by screwing. But it could be done by clipping.

[0040] Also for example, and as illustrated non-limitingly and at least partially in Figures 2 and 3, each of the lateral parts PLBj may comprise a rear mask MRj and an associated internal glass Glj. Each rear mask MRj is installed to the right (j = 1) or to the left (j = 2) of the central part PCL and is suitable for masking technical parts of the luminous grille CL. It will be noted that each rear mask MRj can also provide a function of auxiliary isolation element (or anti-light leakage) which prevents the passage of second photons towards the rear, and thus prevents these second photons from reaching the central part PCL. Each internal glass Glj is installed to the right or left of the central part PCL in front of the associated rear mask MRj. In the presence of such lateral parts PLBj, the second lighting device DE2 can be capable of generating second photons which are intended to illuminate the internal glass Glj.

[0041] Thus, almost the entire front part of the CL light grille, visible through its possible GP protective glass, is lit (or illuminated), possibly by backlighting (as we will see later).

[0042] For example, each MRj back mask can have a black color.

[0043] Also for example, and as illustrated non-limitingly in Figure 1, each of the internal windows Glj may comprise a front face FV, oriented (here) towards the protective window GP, and on which three-dimensional elements ET are defined which together define a radiator grille. It will be noted that in the illustrated example the three-dimensional elements ET extend substantially in the vertical direction Z in order to define lines parallel to each other. But three-dimensional elements ET could extend substantially in the vertical direction Z and other three-dimensional elements ET could extend substantially in the transverse direction Y, in order to define a grid, for example. It would also be possible to have three-dimensional elements ET extending substantially in two directions perpendicular to each other and different from the vertical direction Z and transverse direction Y, in order to define a grid, for example.

[0044] These three-dimensional ET elements can have a rectangular, triangular or trapezoidal cross-section, for example.

[0045] Also for example, and as illustrated non-limitingly and at least partially in Figures 2 and 3, the first device lighting device DE1 may comprise a light diffuser DL which is installed behind the central part PCL (here in the central part PCB of the housing BC). This light diffuser DL is capable of diffusing the first photons generated by the first lighting device DE1 towards the rear face FR of the central part PCL. This light diffuser DL may be a flat-type light guide which returns the first photons (or light), injected into at least one of its sides by the first lighting device DE1, towards the rear face FR of the central part PCL in order to illuminate it from the rear in a substantially homogeneous manner. But in an alternative embodiment, it would be possible to do without a light diffuser DL and to carry out lighting of the front face of the central part PCL (opposite its rear face FR).

[0046] Also for example, and as illustrated non-limitingly and partially in Figure 2, the first lighting device DE1 may comprise at least one photon source SPk capable of generating the first photons for the light diffuser DL, and the second lighting device DE2 may comprise two photon sources SP'm capable of generating the second photons respectively for the internal glass units Glj.

[0047] It will be noted that in the example illustrated non-limitingly and partially in Figure 2, the first lighting device DE1 comprises two photon sources SPk (k = 1 or 2). These first SP1 (k = 1) and second SP2 (k = 2) photon sources are suitable for generating first photons respectively for two opposite sides (and here substantially vertical (parallel to the vertical direction Z)) of the light diffuser DL. The second lighting device DE2 comprises two photon sources SP'm (m = 1 or 2). These first SP'1 (m = 1) and second SP'2 (m = 2) photon sources are suitable for generating second photons respectively for the two internal glass panes Glj. For this purpose, the first SP1 and second SP2 photon sources can be mounted respectively on two support plates which are secured fixed to the two opposite sides (here vertical) of the light diffuser DL, and the first SP'1 and second SP'2 photon sources can be mounted respectively on two electronic cards CE1 and CE2 coupled to the two support plates and controlling the generation of the first and second photons.

[0048] For example, the two electronic cards CE1 and CE2 can be installed respectively on two transverse sides (here substantially parallel to the transverse direction Y and upper) of the internal windows Glj. Also for example, each electronic card CE1, CE2 can be a printed circuit board of the PCB type (“Printed Circuit Board”).

[0049] Also for example, each SPk or SP'm photon source may comprise at least one light-emitting diode (or LED). But alternatively each SPk or SP'm photon source may comprise at least one laser diode or a gas laser.

[0050] It should also be noted that the SPk photon sources and the SP'm photon sources can operate simultaneously, either one (SPk) or the other (SP'm), depending on the choice of a vehicle user.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. Luminous grille (CL) suitable for equipping a central area of a front end of a vehicle, and comprising a central part (PCL) comprising a logo (LO) and a first lighting device (DE1) suitable for generating first photons intended to illuminate said central part (PCL), characterized in that it further comprises a) two lateral parts (PLBj) installed to the right and left of said central part (PCL), b) a second lighting device (DE2) suitable for generating second photons intended to illuminate said lateral parts (PLBj), and c) isolating elements (El) suitable for preventing the passage of first photons towards said lateral parts (PLBj) and second photons towards said central part (PCL).

2. Luminous grille according to claim 1, characterized in that said central part (PCL) comprises two external lateral edges (BLEj) each provided with an insulating element (El), and / or each of said lateral parts (PLBj) comprises an internal lateral edge (BLIj) oriented towards one of said external lateral edges (BLEj) and provided with an insulating element.

3. Luminous grille according to claim 2, characterized in that each external lateral edge (BLEj) comprises a rear wall (PR) extending towards the rear then behind said corresponding lateral part (PLBj) by defining a cavity housing a corresponding internal lateral edge (BLIj) and defining an insulating element (El).

4. Luminous grille according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each of said lateral parts (PLBj) comprises a rear mask (MRj) installed to the right or left of said central part (PCL) and suitable for masking technical parts of said luminous grille (CL), and ii) an internal glass (Glj) installed to the right or left of said central part (PCL) in front of said rear mask (MRj), and in that said second lighting device (DE2) is suitable for generating second photons intended to illuminate said internal glass (Glj).

5. Luminous grille according to claim 4, characterized in that each of said internal windows (Glj) comprises a front face (FV) on which three-dimensional elements (ET) are defined defining together a radiator grille.

6. Luminous grille according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said first lighting device (DE1) comprises a light diffuser (DL) installed behind said central part (PCL) and capable of diffusing said first photons generated towards a rear face (FR) of the latter (PCL).

7. Luminous grille according to claim 4 or 5 taken in combination with claim 6, characterized in that said first lighting device (DE1) comprises at least one photon source (SPk) capable of generating said first photons for said light diffuser (DL), and said second lighting device (DE2) comprises two photon sources (SP'm) capable of generating said second photons respectively for said internal windows (Glj).

8. Luminous grille according to claim 7, characterized in that each photon source (SPk, SP'm) comprises at least one light-emitting diode.

9. Vehicle comprising a front end having a central zone, characterized in that it further comprises a luminous grille (CL) according to one of claims 1 to 8, installed in said central zone of the front end.

10. Vehicle according to claim 9, characterized in that it is of the automobile type.

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