A SIGNAL LIGHT DEVICE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A signal light device (1) of a motor vehicle with a signal lighting unit (3) that comprises housing (1a) covered by cover (2) and in the housing a carrier (5) secured to the housing (la) and with its front panel (7) facing the cover (2). The carrier (5) comprises a supporting surface (22) with at least one light source (6), a front panel (7) and a thin-walled partition panel (12) situated between the supporting surface (22) and the front panel (7). The partition panel (12) comprises an input surface (20) facing the supporting surface (22) and an output surface (21) wherein the supporting surface (22) is fitted with the main reflective surface (11) to reflect light rays (10). The space between the front panel (7) and the output surface (21) and between the supporting surface (22) and the input surface (20) is only filled with air.

Claims

1. A signal light device of a motor vehicle designed to fulfil one or more signal light functions, comprising a housing covered by transparent or translucent cover which separates and protects the signal light device from external surroundings of the motor vehicle, the internal chamber delimited by the housing and the cover and comprising at least one signal lighting unit, wherein the signal lighting unit comprises: (i) a carrier with a supporting surface to which at least one light source is attached to emit light rays, (ii) a front panel, one of which surfaces faces the cover and the other surface is opposed to the supporting surface, and (iii) a thin-walled partition panel situated between the supporting surface and the front panel and at a distance from them, wherein the thin-walled partition panel comprises an input surface facing the supporting surface and an output surface opposite the input surface, wherein the supporting surface is fitted with the main reflective surface to reflect light rays, wherein the space between the front panel and the output surface and between the supporting surface with the said at least one light source and the input surface is filled with air, wherein for each light source, the thin-walled partition panel is, in the region situated opposite the light source fitted on its input surface with the first arrangement of the first reflective surfaces and the first gaps between the first reflective surfaces, and on its output surface with the second arrangement of the second reflective surfaces and the second gaps between the second reflective surfaces, wherein the first and second reflective surfaces are configured to reflect light rays and the first and second gaps to transmit light rays, and wherein the said first arrangement and the second arrangement are configured to achieve a pre-determined intensity distribution of the output of light rays from individual places of the output surface of the thin-walled partition panel.

2. The signal light device of a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the thin-walled partition panel is less than or equal to 2.5 mm.

3. The signal light device of a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the cover is plate-like shaped and is planar or curved, and the front panel is planar or curved.

4. The signal light device of a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the front panel is approximately parallel to an opposing part of the cover.

3. The signal light device of a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the thin-walled partition panel is optical foil.

5. The signal light device of a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the thin-walled partition panel, the main reflective surface and the front panel are approximately parallel and at the same time curved or planar.

6. The signal light device of a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the main reflective surface and the thin-walled partition panel is 0.5 mm to 5.0 mm, and the distance between the thin-walled partition panel and the front panel is between 0.5 mm and 5 mm.

7. The signal light device of a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the lighting unit has a plate-like shape and is planar or curved.

8. The signal light device of a motor vehicle according to claim 7, wherein thickness of the lighting unit is from 2 mm to 12 mm.

9. The signal light device of a motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a lateral cover that closes the lighting unit from a side.

10. The signal light device of a motor vehicle according claim 9, wherein the inner walls of the lateral cover are fitted with lateral reflective surfaces to reflect light rays.

11. The signal light device of a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the main reflective surface consists of a layer applied on the supporting surface of the carrier, e.g. a white colour coat.

12. The signal light device of a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the optical axis (x) of the beam of light rays emitted from the light source is perpendicular to the thin-walled partition panel and to the reflective surface.

13. The signal light device of a motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising at least two light sources carried by a common carrier.

14. The signal light device of a motor vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the light sources are situated on the carrier with gaps next to each other in the direction of the longitudinal axis (p) of the lighting unit.

15. The signal light device of a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the light source is a source of the LED type.

16. The signal light device of a motor vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the focal point of the light source of the LED type is situated at a distance from 0.5 mm to 5 mm from the thin-walled partition panel.

17. The signal light device of a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the carrier is a PCB.

18. The signal light device of a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the thin-walled partition panel comprises several parts arranged next to each other in the direction of the longitudinal axis (p) of the lighting unit and the lateral cover is structured to embed individual parts of the thin-walled partition panel in the lateral cover to enhance rigidity of the overall structure of the lighting unit.

Description

CLARIFICATION OF DRAWINGS

[0028] The present invention will be further clarified in more detail with the use of its embodiment examples referring to the enclosed drawings wherein:

[0029] FIG. 1 shows an example of signal light device according to the invention,

[0030] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment example of a signal lighting unit to be incorporated in a signal light device according to the invention, in a cross-section taken along the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the signal lighting unit and passing through the light source shown,

[0031] FIG. 3 shows detail A of FIG. 2,

[0032] FIG. 4 shows an example of the first arrangement or pattern of the first reflective surfaces and first gaps created on the input surface of the thin-walled partition panel,

[0033] FIG. 5 shows another example of the first arrangement or pattern of the first reflective surfaces and first gaps created on the input surface of the thin-walled partition panel,

[0034] FIG. 6 shows another example of the first arrangement or pattern of the first reflective surfaces and first gaps created on the input surface, and the second arrangement or pattern of the second reflective surfaces and second gaps created on the output surface of the thin-walled partition panel, and the mutual position of the first and second arrangements -patterns,

[0035] FIG. 7 shows example of the signal lighting unit that can be incorporated in the signal light device of FIG. 1 according to the invention, in an exploded state showing individual parts of the signal lighting unit,

[0036] FIG. 8 shows signal lighting unit of FIG. 7 in a cross-section taken along the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the signal lighting unit and passing through one of the light sources shown in FIG. 7.

EXAMPLES OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0037] FIG. 1 shows an example of embodiment of a signal light device 1 according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows an embodiment example of a signal lighting unit 3 that can be incorporated in the signal light device 1 of the invention, in a cross-section taken along the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis p (FIG. 8) of the signal lighting unit 3 and passing through the light source 6 shown. Signal light device 1 is designed to fulfil one or more signal light functions, such as brake light, tail light, daytime running light, direction indication light etc.

[0038] A signal light device 1 comprises a housing la covered by transparent or translucent cover 2 which separates and protects the signal light device 1 from external surroundings of the motor vehicle, the inner chamber 4 delimited by the housing la and the cover 2 and comprising at least one signal lighting unit 3. The signal light device 1 is designed to be built in the car body, and therefore, the cover 2 is in most applications curved to fit structurally or aesthetically to a shape of surrounding car body. Since the cover protects the interior of the signal light device 1 from dust, particles, water mud, etc. also during car driving, it must fulfil relevant prescriptions as to its physical and material properties such as crack strengths and also requirements for a way it permanently deforms in case of car accidents to reduce the danger of fragments to people.

[0039] The signal light device 1 comprises in the inner chamber 4 a lighting unit 3 that is secured to the housing 1a.

[0040] The lighting unit 3 comprises: [0041] (i) a carrier 5 with a supporting surface 22 to attach at least one light source 6 to emit light rays 10, [0042] (ii) a front panel 7, one of which surfaces faces the cover 2 and the other surface is opposed to the supporting surface 22, and [0043] (iii) a thin-walled partition panel 12 situated between the supporting surface 22 and the front panel 7 and at a distance from them.

[0044] The thin-walled partition panel 12 comprises an input surface 20 facing the supporting surface 22 and an output surface 21 opposite the input surface 20. The supporting surface 22 is fitted with the main reflective surface 11 to reflect light rays 10. The space between the front panel 7 and the output surface 21 and between the supporting surface 22 with the said at least one light source 6 and the input surface 20 is only filled with air.

[0045] For each light source 6, the thin-walled partition panel 12 is, in the region situated opposite the light source 6, fitted on its input surface 20 with the first arrangement 24 of the first reflective surfaces 12a and the first gaps 12c between the first reflective surfaces 12a, and on its output surface 21 with the second arrangement 25 of the second reflective surfaces 12b and the second gaps 12d between the second reflective surfaces 12b. The first and second reflective surfaces 12a, 12b are configured to reflect light rays 10 and the first and second gaps 12c, 12d are configured to transmit light rays 10. The said first arrangement 24 and the second arrangement 25 are configured to achieve a pre-determined intensity distribution of the output of light rays 10 from individual places of the output surface 21 of the thin-walled partition panel 12. The lighting unit 3 is terminated with a front frame 16 at the front. The purpose of the frame 16 is generally aesthetical but the frame 16 also can serve to strengthen the structure, hide some parts that are not to be seen from outside the car etc.

[0046] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment example of the lighting unit 3 in a cross-section taken along the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis p of the lighting unit 3 and passing through the light source 6 shown. The lighting unit 3 comprises a carrier 5 of the light source 6 defining the inner chamber 9 together with the lateral cover 8 and the front panel 7, which is permeable for light rays 10. The inner chamber 9 is partitioned with a thin-walled partition panel 12, situated with its input surface 20 opposite the supporting surface 22 of the carrier 5. The light source 6 is attached to the supporting surface 22, or it is partly embedded in it. The thickness of the thin-walled partition panel 12 is preferably up to 2.5 mm. Preferentially, as the thin-walled partition panel 12, optical foil is used. The inner chamber 9 is filled with air.

[0047] The front panel 7 preferably consists of several optical foil sheets stacked on each other, as will be described with reference to other embodiments of the invention. The supporting surface 22 of the carrier 5 is fitted with a reflective surface 11 that may be continuous and cover the whole supporting surface 22 except the place where the light source 6 is situated. The focal point of the light source 6, which is preferably a LED type source, is situated in the immediate vicinity of the thin-walled partition panel 12, preferably at a distance from 0.5 mm to 5 mm from the thin-walled partition panel 12.

[0048] As indicated by the preferred embodiment of FIG. 2, the carrier 5 may be of a plate-like shape wherein the front panel 7 and the carrier 5 may be approximately parallel to each other and to the thin-walled partition panel 12. However, in other embodiments, the carrier 5 and the front panel 7 may be slightly divergent while the carrier 5 does not need to be of a plate-like shape.

[0049] Thus, in the preferred embodiment of FIG. 2, the lighting unit 3 as a whole forms a plate-like body, preferably with a thickness from 2 mm to 12 mm wherein the distance between the reflective surface 11 and the thin-walled partition panel 12 is preferably from 0.5 mm to 5 mm and the distance between the thin-walled partition panel 12 and the front panel 7 is preferably between 0.5 mm and 5 mm. Thus, the inventive solution makes it possible to achieve a very small overall thickness of the lighting unit 3, which minimizes the requirements for the installation space of the lighting unit 3 in the light device of the vehicle.

[0050] This invention assumes that the term “panel” (front panel 7, thin-walled partition panel 12) comprises both “planar” panels (i.e. panels with two planar opposite largest surfaces), and curved panels—bent or corrugated (i.e. panels with two curved opposite largest surfaces).

[0051] The reflective surface 11 may be created in such a way that it is the entire supporting surface 22 of the carrier 5 adapted to exhibit excellent reflective characteristics. Alternatively, the reflective surface 11 may be produced by application of a highly reflective layer on the supporting surface 22 of the carrier 5, application of white colour coating etc. Preferably, the inner surface of the lateral cover 8, i.e. surface facing the inner chamber 9 is also fitted with a lateral reflective surface 23, which may be produced similarly to the reflective surface 11 of the carrier 5. The reflective surface 11 of the carrier 5 is used to reflect light rays 10 that have been generated by the light source 6 and fallen on the reflective surface 11. Alternatively, the reflective surface 11, and possibly also the lateral reflective surface 23, may be adapted to diffusion reflection of light rays 10.

[0052] FIG. 3 shows detail A of FIG. 2. As indicated by this figure, the thin-walled partition panel 12 is fitted on its input surface 20 facing the light source 6 with the first reflective surfaces 12a and on its output surface 21 averted from the light source 6 with the second reflective surfaces 12b. The first and second reflective surfaces 12a, 12b do not completely cover the input and output surfaces 20, 21, but are respectively arranged with the first and second gaps 12c, 12d between them. The input and output surfaces 20, 21 are permeable for light rays 10 in the locations of these gaps 12c, 12d. From the point of view of propagation of light rays 10 immediately after their exit from the light source 6, light rays 10 may be classified into three groups: the first light rays 17 that pass through the thin-walled partition panel 12 without falling onto one of the reflective surfaces 12a and 12b before that; the second light rays 18 that get reflected from the first reflective surfaces 12a and subsequently fall onto the reflective surface 11 of the carrier 5; and the third light rays 19 that penetrate into the body of the thin-walled partition panel 12, but are subsequently reflected from a second reflective surface 12b either out of the thin-walled partition panel 12 onto the reflective surface 11 of the carrier 5, or from a second reflective surface 12b immediately onto a first reflective surface 12a, from which they get reflected either into one of the second gaps 12d on the output surface 21 and out of the thin-walled partition panel 12, or onto one of the second reflective surfaces 12b again. Preferably, the first and second reflective surfaces 12a, 12b are configured to exhibit excellent reflective characteristics while alternatively, the first reflective surfaces 12a and/or the second reflective surfaces 12b may be adapted to diffusion reflection of light rays 10.

[0053] Thus, all along the width of the lighting unit 3, there is continuous reflection of light rays 10 emitted by the light source 6, which is advantageously a LED type source, and partial transmission of light rays 10 through the thin-walled partition panel 12. The mutual arrangement of the first reflective surfaces 12a and the second reflective surfaces 12b, their size, distribution on the input surface 20 and output surface 21 of the thin-walled partition panel 12 and location of the first reflective surfaces 12a with respect to the second reflective surface 12b and to the light source 6 can be used to influence the distribution of the output of light rays 10 from individual places of the output surface as well as the direction of their output 21 to a certain extent. This means that a suitable arrangement of the first and second reflective surface 12a, 12b with respect to each other and the light source 6 and the selection of their suitable size can be used to achieve a pre-determined distribution of intensity of the said output of light rays 10.

[0054] The other figures show examples of the first arrangement 24 of the first reflective surfaces 12a and the first gaps 12c as well as an example of the second arrangement 25 of the second reflective surfaces 12b and second gaps 12d in particular patterns configured with the intention to achieve a uniform—homogeneous output of light rays 10 from the output surface 21 of the thin-walled partition panel 12.

[0055] FIG. 4 shows a view of the input surface 20 of the thin-walled partition panel 12 of the lighting unit 3. The input surface 20 is fitted with the first reflective surface 12a, which are of a circular shape in this embodiment example. The first reflective surfaces 12a may be for instance implemented as white print. Between individual first reflective surfaces 12a, there are the first gaps 12c where the input surface 20 is permeable for light rays 10, which may penetrate through the input surface 20 into the body of the thin-walled partition panel 12, or conversely exit from the body of the thin-walled partition panel 12 this way, as explained above with reference to FIG. 3, after being reflected from the second reflective surfaces 12b. The proportion of the total area of the first reflective surfaces 12a to the total area of the first gaps 12c present on a unit area decreases in the direction from the light source 6 (not shown in FIG. 4), which is situated against the centre of the input surface 20, towards the edges of the input surface 20. Accordingly, in FIG. 4, from a certain distance from the centre of the input surface 20, the first reflective surfaces 12a are not shown at all as they become points of a decreasing size situated further and further away from each other. The said arrangement makes sure that in the region of the input surface 20 centre, which is found opposite the light source 6, the predominant presence of the first reflective surfaces 12a counterbalances the concentration of the light rays 10 and their incidence angle in this region, which would, without this counterbalance, result in by far the highest concentration of passage of light rays 10 out of the output surface 21 of the thin-walled partition panel 12 in this region. The said counterbalance, however, in cooperation with the arrangement of the second reflective surfaces 12b on the output surface 21 of the thin-walled partition panel 12, makes sure that the passage of light rays 10 through the output surface 21 is uniform—homogeneous all over the output surface 21.

[0056] FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the arrangement of the first reflective surface 12a on the input surface 20 of the thin-walled partition panel 12 of the lighting unit 3. The purpose of this arrangement of the first reflective surfaces 12a is, similarly to the preceding embodiment, in cooperation with the arrangement of the second reflective surfaces 12b on the output surface 21, to achieve homogeneous output of light rays 10 from the output surface 21. In this arrangement, the first gaps 12c, designed for transmission of light rays 10, through the input surface 20, have the shape of hexagons while the first reflective surfaces 12a fill the remaining area of the input surface 20 between the first gaps 12c. The first reflective surfaces 12a may be for instance implemented as white print. Thus, this is a kind of inverted arrangement with respect to the first embodiment. With the distance from the centre of the input surface 20, against which the light source 6 (not shown in FIG. 5) is situated), the size of the first gaps 12c—hexagons increases and the distance between adjacent hexagons decreases. For simplicity, from a certain size of the hexagons, the first gaps 12c are no longer shown in FIG. 5 as they essentially represent a continuous area of the input surface 20. Light rays 10 may penetrate through the first gaps 12c—hexagons through the input surface 20 into the body of the thin-walled partition panel 12, or conversely exit from the body of the thin-walled partition panel 12, as explained above with reference to FIG. 3, after being reflected from the second reflective surfaces 12b.

[0057] As regards the second reflective surfaces 12b and the second gaps 12b between them, which the output surface 21 of the thin-walled partition panel 12 is fitted with, they are organized in the second arrangement that may be identical to the first arrangement, i.e. the arrangement of the first reflective surfaces 12a and the first gaps 12c on the opposite input surface 20 of the thin-walled partition panel 12. Here, the first arrangement—pattern of the first reflective surfaces 12a may be positioned exactly in alignment with the identical second arrangement—pattern of the second reflective surfaces 12b, or the first arrangement and the second arrangement may be positioned with a mutual offset/shift as such an embodiment example is shown in FIG. 6. Alternatively, on the input surface 20 and the output surface 21, the first arrangement and the second arrangement may be used that are different from each other. The first arrangement and the second arrangement and their mutual positioning are, however, always selected in such a way to achieve pre-determined intensities of the output of light rays 10 from individual locations of the output surface 21 out of the thin-walled partition panel 12. In the case of the embodiment examples shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the intention was to make the output homogeneous, i.e. to make the intensity of the output of light rays 10 from the output surface 21 approximately equal in all locations of the output surface 21.

[0058] Thus, the inventive solution makes it possible to use the selection of the first arrangement, i.e. arrangement of the patterns of the first reflective surfaces 12a and the first gaps 12c on the input surface 20, and the second arrangement, i.e. arrangement of the second reflective surfaces 12b and the second gaps 12d on the output surface 21, and the mutual positioning of the first and second arrangements 24, 25, to control the passage of light through the thin-walled partition panel 12—preferably foil to influence homogeneity of the optical system.

[0059] FIG. 7 shows another example of the lighting unit 3 and its parts in an exploded state. In this embodiment example, the lighting unit 3 comprises one carrier 5, which is a PCB on which five light sources 6 of the LED type are attached. The LED sources are situated next to each other in the direction of the longitudinal axis p of the lighting unit 3. The main reflective surface 11 is created with the use of a layer with reflective characteristics situated on the carrier 5. In front of each of the LED sources, on the input surface 20 of the thin-walled partition panel 12, there is the first arrangement 24 of the first reflective surfaces 12a and the first gaps 12c, and on the output surface 21, there is the second arrangement 25 of the second reflective surfaces 12b and the second gaps 12d. In front of the thin-walled partition panel 12, the front panel 7 is situated, which in this embodiments consists of a diffusion layer 13, the first functional layer 14 and the second functional layer 15 in this order from the partition panel 12. The diffusion layer 13 is adapted to diffuse light rays 10, and the first and second functional layers 14, 15 are preferentially layers—foils of the BEF (“Brightness Enhancement Film”) type, known from the prior art, which are used to enhance brightness in a certain direction(s) of view of the foil and when two such foils are used, the foils are placed on each other with a mutual angular shift of 90°. The lighting unit 3 further comprises a front frame 16 to secure the position of the front panel 7, and a lateral cover 8 to secure the position of the thin-walled partition panel 12—optical foil. The thin-walled partition panel 12 may consist of one integral body, or it may consist of multiple parts arranged next to each other in the direction of the longitudinal axis p of the lighting unit 3, especially if, to increase the rigidity of the overall structure of the lighting unit 3, a structured lateral cover 8 is used to house parts of the thin-walled partition panel 12, as shown in the embodiment example of FIG. 7.

[0060] FIG. 8 shows the embodiment of the lighting unit 3 of FIG. 7 in the assembled state and in a cross-section taken along the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis p of the lighting unit 3 and passing through one of the light sources 6 shown in FIG. 7.

LIST OF REFERENCE MARKS

[0061] 1—signal light device
1a—housing
2—cover
3—signal lighting unit
4—inner chamber
5—carrier
6—light source
7—front panel
8—lateral cover
9—chamber
10—light ray
11—main reflective surface
12—thin-walled partition panel
20 12a—first reflective surface
12b—second reflective surface
12c—first gap
12d—second gap
13—diffusion layer
14—first functional layer
15—second functional layer
16—front frame
17—first ray
18—second ray
19—third ray
20—input surface
21—output surface
22—supporting surface
23—lateral reflective surface
24—first arrangement
25—second arrangement
p—longitudinal axis of the lighting unit
x—optical axis of the beam of light rays