Lighting apparatus for a vehicle having a planar light guide and an elongate light guide

Abstract

A lighting apparatus for vehicles, comprising a planar light-guiding element, which has opposing flat sides at which input coupled light is totally internally reflected, which has a first narrow side in a light input coupling region for coupling in the light, which has a second narrow side in a light output coupling region for coupling out the light in a main emission direction of the lighting apparatus, and which has a connecting side connecting the first narrow side and the second narrow side. An elongate light guide follows the contour of the first narrow side of the planar light-guiding element is provided in an arranged fashion with a first end face arranged at one end side and with a second end face, between which a lateral surface of the elongate light guide extends, said lateral surface having output coupling elements for diverting the light coupled into the elongate light guide.

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus for a vehicle, the lighting apparatus comprising: a planar light-guiding element that has opposing flat sides at which input coupled light is totally internally reflected and that has a first narrow side in a light input coupling region for coupling in the light and that has a second narrow side in a light output coupling region for coupling out the light in a main emission direction of the lighting apparatus, and that has a connecting side connecting the first narrow side and the second narrow side; and an elongate light guide that follows a contour of the first narrow side of the planar light-guiding element and is provided in an arranged fashion, with a first end face and a second end face, between which a lateral surface of the elongate light guide extends, the lateral surface having output coupling elements for diverting the light coupled into the elongate light guide so that the light is output coupled from the elongate light guide in a direction of the first narrow side of the planar light-guiding element from a longitudinal section of the lateral surface facing the first narrow side of the planar light guiding element, wherein each of the first narrow side and the connecting side of the planar light guiding element rise from a base plane, that is spanned by an extension direction of the second narrow side and the main emission direction, in a direction of a corner region of the planar light-guiding element, and wherein the first narrow side runs in the direction of the corner region with respect to an extension line of the first narrow side rotated by a rotation angle and/or the connecting side runs in the direction of the corner region with respect to an extension line of the connecting side rotated by a rotation angle.

2. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotation angle of the first narrow side or the rotation angle of the connecting side is in a range from 70° to 90°.

3. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first narrow side and the connecting side run continuously into the corner region.

4. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first end face of the elongate light guide is associated with a light source.

5. The lighting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the light source intersects an imaginary extension of the connecting side.

6. The lighting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a main axis of the light source runs in a perpendicular or at a small angle to the perpendicular, wherein the perpendicular is arranged perpendicular to the base plane of the planar light-guiding element.

7. A lighting apparatus for a vehicle, the lighting apparatus comprising: a planar light-guiding element that has opposing flat sides at which input coupled light is totally internally reflected and that has a first narrow side in a light input coupling region for coupling in the light and that has a second narrow side in a light output coupling region for coupling out the light in a main emission direction of the lighting apparatus, and that has a connecting side connecting the first narrow side and the second narrow side; and an elongate light guide that follows a contour of the first narrow side of the planar light-guiding element and is provided in an arranged fashion, with a first end face and a second end face, between which a lateral surface of the elongate light guide extends, the lateral surface having output coupling elements for diverting the light coupled into the elongate light guide so that the light is output coupled from the elongate light guide in a direction of the first narrow side of the planar light-guiding element from a longitudinal section of the lateral surface facing the first narrow side of the planar light guiding element, wherein each of the first narrow side and the connecting side of the planar light guiding element rise from a base plane, that is spanned by an extension direction of the second narrow side and the main emission direction, in a direction of a corner region of the planar light-guiding element, and wherein the first narrow side runs in a curved manner in a three-dimensional space, wherein a portion of the first narrow side extends in a plane substantially perpendicular to the main emission direction and another portion of the first narrow side extends in the base plane.

8. The lighting apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the connecting side of the planar light-guiding element runs in a curved manner in a two-dimensional space, wherein a curved shape runs in a plane perpendicular to the base plane and parallel to the main emission direction.

9. A lighting apparatus for a vehicle, the lighting apparatus comprising: a planar light-guiding element that has opposing flat sides at which input coupled light is totally internally reflected and that has a first narrow side in a light input coupling region for coupling in the light and that has a second narrow side in a light output coupling region for coupling out the light in a main emission direction of the lighting apparatus, and that has a connecting side connecting the first narrow side and the second narrow side; and an elongate light guide that follows a contour of the first narrow side of the planar light-guiding element and is provided in an arranged fashion, with a first end face and a second end face, between which a lateral surface of the elongate light guide extends, the lateral surface having output coupling elements for diverting the light coupled into the elongate light guide so that the light is output coupled from the elongate light guide in a direction of the first narrow side of the planar light-guiding element from a longitudinal section of the lateral surface facing the first narrow side of the planar light guiding element, wherein each of the first narrow side and the connecting side of the planar light guiding element rise from a base plane, that is spanned by an extension direction of the second narrow side and the main emission direction, in a direction of a corner region of the planar light-guiding element, and wherein the lighting apparatus is installed in a first body component at a distance from a body end edge thereof, the distance being determined from the connecting side of the planar light-guiding element to the body end edge of the first body component.

10. The lighting apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a body end edge of a second body component, movable relative to the first body component, is provided parallel to the body end edge of the first body component, wherein an additional lighting apparatus is installed in the second body component.

11. The lighting apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the lighting apparatus installed in the first body component and the additional lighting apparatus installed in the second body component are controlled to generate a same signal light function.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a top view of a conventional lighting apparatus with a flat planar light-guiding element;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective representation of a lighting apparatus of the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a top view of the lighting apparatus and an adjacent further lighting apparatus installed in another body component; and

(5) FIG. 4 shows a front view of the lighting apparatus shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) A lighting apparatus 1 of the invention is arranged installed in a first body component 2. The first body component 2 can be, for example, a hatch door of a vehicle. An additional lighting apparatus 3 is arranged installed in a second body component 4 which is adjacent to first body component 2 and is stationary in the present exemplary embodiment. The two lighting apparatuses 1, 3 are used to generate the same signal light function, for example, a taillight function.

(7) Due to the structure of the body, there is a gap between a body end edge 5 of first body component 2 and a body end edge 6 of second body component 4. In order to provide a uniform illuminated area, it is desirable that lighting apparatuses 1, 3 run as close as possible to the respective body end edges 5 and 6. Due to lighting apparatus 1 of the invention, a distance ‘a’ of lighting apparatus 1 from body end edge 5 is relatively small even though a light source 7 is arranged in the vicinity of body end edge 5. Alternatively, the invention can also be used for lighting apparatuses in which at least two different lighting apparatuses are arranged separated from one another by at least one housing part or panel. The invention enables a spaced arrangement of at least two lighting apparatuses with a small distance to one another, said arrangement being effected by a separating part.

(8) Lighting apparatus 1 essentially is formed of a planar light-guiding element 8 as well as an elongate light guide 9, by means of which the light emitted by light source 7 is fed to planar light-guiding element 8.

(9) The planar light-guiding element 8 has opposite flat sides 10, preferably running parallel, on which input-coupled light is totally internally reflected. In a light input-coupling region of planar light-guiding element 8, the same has a first narrow side 11 for coupling in the light. In a light output coupling region, planar light-guiding element 8 has a second narrow side 12 for coupling out the light in the main emission direction H of lighting apparatus 1. First narrow side 11 and second narrow side 12 are connected to one another by a connecting side 13, wherein connecting side 13 runs substantially at the constant distance ‘a’ from body end edge 5 of first body component 2. A further connecting side 14 is arranged on a side, facing away from body end edge 5, of planar light-guiding element 8.

(10) Light guide 9 is assigned to first narrow side 11 of planar light-guiding element 8 and has a first end face 15 and a second end face 16, which are connected to one another by means of a lateral surface 17. Lateral surface 17 can be formed circular in cross section, for example, so that elongate light guide 9 extends in the shape of a cylinder. Output coupling elements (not shown) are provided on lateral surface 17 and/or within light guide 9 for diverting the light coupled into elongate light guide 9, so that the light emerges from light guide 9 along a longitudinal section of lateral surface 17, said section being associated with first narrow side 11 of planar light-guiding element 8. First end face 15 of light guide 9 is associated with light source 7.

(11) Planar light-guiding element 8 is not formed flat. Planar light-guiding element 8 rises from a plane spanned by an extension line E.sub.1 of second narrow side 12 and main emission direction H in the direction of a rear corner region 18 of light-guiding element 8, wherein corner region 18 is arranged on a side facing body end edge 5. Second narrow side 12 of planar light-guiding element 8 extends in a straight line in the present exemplary embodiment, so that the extension line E.sub.1 is also formed as a straight line. A base plane B of planar light-guiding element 8 thus extends in an x-y plane. The x-direction corresponds to the main emission direction H. Second narrow side 12 of planar light-guiding element 8 is located on a front side of lighting apparatus 1.

(12) Both connecting side 13 and first narrow side 11 of planar light-guiding element 8 extend in a curved manner out of the base plane B in the direction of corner region 18, so that light source 7 is arranged with orientation of a main axis A thereof perpendicular to the base plane B or oriented in an angle range of 75° to 105°. The main axis A of light source 7 thus runs in a perpendicular or in a small angle range of ±15° to the perpendicular, wherein the perpendicular is perpendicular to the base plane B.

(13) The light guide 9 may be arranged following the contour of first narrow side 11 of planar light-guiding element 8, and first end face 15 is arranged substantially perpendicular to the main axis A of light source 7. The main axis A coincides with the main emission direction H of light source 7, which is preferably formed as an LED light source. Due to light source 7 being oriented substantially perpendicular to the base plane B, the same (not as in the prior art) is arranged next to planar light-guiding element 8 in a projection onto the base plane B, but intersects the same or is arranged substantially within planar light-guiding element 8. A distance ‘a’ between lighting apparatus 1 and body end edge 5 can thus be selected to be relatively small. When lighting apparatus 1 and the additional lighting apparatus 3 are operated together, the result is an almost uninterrupted homogeneous illumination area formed by second narrow side 12 of lighting apparatus 1 and a narrow surface 19 of the additional lighting apparatus 3.

(14) Preferably, connecting side 13 or first narrow side 11 is formed with respect to an extension line E.sub.2 or E.sub.3 of the same, extending in the direction of corner region 18 in a rotated manner by a rotation angle φ.sub.1 or φ.sub.2. As is evident from FIG. 2, connecting side 13 is rotated in the direction of corner region 18 about the extension line E.sub.2 to the right by the rotation angle φ1. First narrow side 11 is rotated in the direction of corner region 18 around the extension line E.sub.3 to the left by the rotation angle φ.sub.2. The rotation angle φ.sub.1 or φ.sub.2 can be in the range between 70° and 90°. Advantageously, the light output can be improved without light being able to escape laterally, therefore, at connecting side 13, from planar light-guiding element 8.

(15) First narrow side 11 and connecting side 13 run continuously in a curved manner towards corner region 18. The extension lines E.sub.2, E.sub.3 are also formed in a curved manner.

(16) The curved course of first narrow side 11 runs in a three-dimensional space. A first curved component is formed, which runs in the y-z plane, therefore, in a transverse plane to the main emission direction H. An additional curved component runs in the x-y direction, therefore, in the base plane B. In a horizontal arrangement of the base plane B, first narrow side 11 thus runs upward and backward in a curved manner in the direction of corner region 18.

(17) Connecting side 13 runs in a curved manner solely in the x-z plane, therefore, in a plane perpendicular to the base plane B and parallel to the main emission direction H.

(18) Preferably, connecting side 13 follows the contour to body end edge 5 of first body component 2. If necessary, it can also run in a curved manner in the x-y plane.

(19) It can be seen from FIG. 3 that light source 7 is arranged in the extension of connecting side 13. The distance ‘a’ of lighting apparatus 1 to body end edge 5 is thus essentially determined by housing parts (not shown) of lighting apparatus 1.

(20) Further, second narrow side 12 can also have non-straight sections, for example, at least partially curved and/or multiple straight sections.

(21) The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.