Optical assembly, vehicle lamp, and motor vehicle

Abstract

An optical assembly, a vehicle lamp and a motor vehicle are disclosed. The optical assembly includes a light guide, the light guide at least having a first light guide section, a second light guide section and a bridging light guide section. The first light guide section and the second light guide section are connected together at one end to form an end region and bifurcating from the end region, the end region having an end face for the in-coupling of light. The bridging light guide section is arranged between the first light guide section and the second light guide section. The bridging light guide section is spaced apart from a bifurcation position of the first light guide section and the second light guide section, and the bridging light guide section has a light in-coupling face facing the bifurcation position, and a light out-coupling face.

Claims

1. An optical assembly, comprising a light guide, the light guide at least having a first light guide section, a second light guide section and a bridging light guide section, the first light guide section and the second light guide section being connected together at one end to form an end region and separating at a bifurcation position of the end region, the end region having an end face for the in-coupling of light from a light source, and the bridging light guide section being arranged between the first light guide section and the second light guide section, characterized in that the bridging light guide section is spaced apart from the bifurcation position of the first light guide section and the second light guide section, and the bridging light guide section has a light in-coupling face facing the bifurcation position and a light out-coupling face arranged opposite the light in-coupling face wherein in a plane transverse to the longitudinal extension of the bridging light guide, the bridging light guide section has a trapezoidal cross section, wherein the width of the light in-coupling face is greater than the width of the light out-coupling face.

2. The optical assembly according to claim 1, wherein the width of the light out-coupling face corresponds to the widths of light exit faces of the first light guide section and second light guide section in cross sections transverse to their longitudinal extensions.

3. The optical assembly according to claim 2, wherein the first light guide section and second light guide section of the light guide are each provided with a light decoupling structure, one end of the light decoupling structure extending beyond the light in-coupling face of the bridging light guide section, such that at least a portion of light is deflected into the light in-coupling face via the light decoupling structure.

4. The optical assembly according to claim 2, wherein the optical assembly is a one-piece component formed of a transparent material.

5. The optical assembly according to claim 2, wherein the bridging light guide section and the bifurcation position are spaced apart by at least 10 mm.

6. The optical assembly according to claim 1, wherein corresponding ends of the first light guide section and the second light guide section are connected together by means of a middle section, such that at least a portion of light enters the bridging light guide section by transmission of the middle section, wherein the middle section forms a part of the end region.

7. The optical assembly according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the light in-coupling face and light out-coupling face of the bridging light guide section is provided with a structure for homogenizing light.

8. The optical assembly according to claim 7, wherein the structure for homogenizing light takes the form of an undulating surface, a micro-pillow structure array surface or a roughened surface.

9. The optical assembly according to claim 1, wherein the angle formed by at least one of the side edges of the trapezoidal cross section and a main light exit direction of the optical assembly is in a range of 0-22.7°.

10. The optical assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first light guide section and second light guide section of the light guide are each provided with a light decoupling structure, one end of the light decoupling structure extending beyond the light in-coupling face of the bridging light guide section, such that at least a portion of light is deflected into the light in-coupling face via the light decoupling structure.

11. The optical assembly according to claim 1, wherein the optical assembly is a one-piece component formed of a transparent material.

12. The optical assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bridging light guide section and the bifurcation position are spaced apart by at least 10 mm.

13. The optical assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first light guide section and second light guide section of the light guide are each provided with a light decoupling structure, one end of the light decoupling structure extending beyond the light in-coupling face of the bridging light guide section, such that at least a portion of light is deflected into the light in-coupling face via the light decoupling structure.

14. The optical assembly according to claim 13, wherein the light decoupling structure is formed of two rows of secondary light decoupling structures with different light decoupling capabilities.

15. The optical assembly according to claim 1, wherein the optical assembly is a one-piece component formed of a transparent material.

16. The optical assembly according to claim 15, wherein the first light guide section and the second light guide section form a closed loop.

17. The optical assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bridging light guide section and the bifurcation position are spaced apart by at least 10 mm.

18. A vehicle lamp, having the optical assembly according to claim 1.

19. A vehicle, having the vehicle lamp according to claim 18.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention is expounded further below with the aid of the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows schematically a three-dimensional drawing of an embodiment of the optical assembly according to the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows schematically a detailed drawing of the bifurcation position of the optical assembly according to the present invention;

(4) FIG. 3 shows schematically a sectional view along section line B-B in FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 shows schematically a partial enlarged drawing of region A in FIG. 1; and

(6) FIG. 5 shows schematically a sectional view along section line C-C in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) Embodiments of the present invention are explained demonstratively below. As those skilled in the art should realize, the embodiments explained may be amended in various ways without departing from the concept of the present invention. Thus, the accompanying drawings and the description are in essence demonstrative and non-limiting. In the following text, identical drawing reference labels generally indicate functionally identical or similar elements.

(8) FIG. 1 shows an exemplary drawing of an optical assembly 1 according to the present invention. Here, the optical assembly 1 includes two light guide sections 2, 3 and a bridging light guide section 5, wherein the bridging light guide section 5 is arranged between the two light guide sections 2, 3. In principle, any number of light guide sections and corresponding bridging light guide sections may be selected. The light guide sections are connected together at one end to form an end region S and separate at a bifurcation position G of the end region, and the bridging light guide section 5 is spaced apart from the bifurcation position G. The bridging light guide section 5 has a light in-coupling face 51 and a light out-coupling face 52; the light in-coupling face 51 faces the bifurcation position, and the light out-coupling face 52 is arranged opposite the light in-coupling face 51.

(9) In the example shown, the light guide sections 2, 3 take the form of two light guiding bodies, for example having a round or elliptical cross section and a diameter between 3 mm and 12 mm. They spread out towards two sides from the bifurcation position G, and correspondingly each have an end face 21, 31 for the in-coupling of light from a light source and another end 22, 32 arranged opposite the end face, thereby exhibiting a linear illumination effect when light is propagated in the optical assembly. As can be seen, a positioning pin 11 for the optical assembly is provided at the end faces 21, 31.

(10) In another example which is not shown, the light guide sections 2, 3 and bridging light guide section 5 of the optical assembly 1 enclose a closed loop. The shape of the closed loop can be specifically selected according to the required illumination shape.

(11) The light guide sections 2, 3 of the optical assembly 1 can abut each other directly. Here, the light guide sections 2, 3 and bridging light guide section 5 enclose a substantially triangular gap.

(12) Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2, the light guide sections 2, 3 can also be connected together via a middle section 4. The middle section 4 between the light guide sections 2, 3 has a width D in a cross section transverse to a main light exit direction H, see FIG. 3. The middle section may be made of the same material as the light guide sections; this makes it easier for light to enter the middle section from the light guide sections. Here, a face 41 of the middle section 4 that is located foremost in the main light exit direction, the light guide sections 2, 3 and the bridging light guide section 5 together enclose a substantially trapezoidal shape.

(13) The face 41 of the middle section 4 that faces the bridging light guide section 5 may have an undulating structure, see FIG. 4. The undulating profile can homogenize light emerging from the face 41 at least to a certain extent.

(14) In FIG. 2, the middle section 4 is shown as beginning at the end faces of the light guide sections 2, 3, but it can also begin at a position that is separated from the end faces of the light guide sections 2, 3 by a predetermined distance.

(15) Like the face 41 of the middle section 4 mentioned above, the light in-coupling face 51 and light out-coupling face 52 of the bridging light guide section 5 may also have an undulating structure, so as to achieve the effect of homogenizing light. It is likewise feasible for the three faces mentioned to have another structure for homogenizing light, e.g. a micro-pillow structure array structure, a roughened structure or another suitable structure. The structure for homogenizing light can be used on each face as needed.

(16) The light guide sections 2, 3 each may have a light decoupling structure extending in the longitudinal direction thereof at a circumferentially outer side, in order to disrupt the conditions for total reflection, in the light guide section 2, 3, of light entering the light guide section 2, 3, such that light can emerge from the other side of the light guide section 2, 3, opposite the light decoupling structure. The light decoupling structure may take the form of optical teeth, i.e. prisms, and these prisms may have a separation of about 1.5 mm in the direction of light transmission. One end of the light decoupling structure of the light guide section 2, 3 extends beyond the bridging light guide section 5 in the direction of the end face of the optical assembly 1, and if necessary extends beyond the bifurcation position G, such that the light can be deflected from the light guide section 2, 3 into the light in-coupling face 51 of the bridging light guide section 5.

(17) The light decoupling structure of the light guide section 2, 3 may be formed of multiple secondary light decoupling structures. As shown in FIG. 2, the light decoupling structure of the light guide section 3 is formed of superposed secondary light decoupling structures 33, 34, which can have different geometric structures, e.g. having optical teeth of different sizes, in order to achieve a uniform light output effect in all directions. A secondary light decoupling structure 24 of the light guide section 2 may be configured similarly to the light guide section 3. Of course, the respective light decoupling structures of the light guide sections 2, 3 may also be configured differently.

(18) FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of the bridging light guide section 5 along section line C-C in FIG. 4. It can be seen here that the bridging light guide section 5 has a substantially trapezoidal cross section. The angle α formed by at least one of the side edges of the trapezoidal cross section and the main light exit direction is in the range of 0-22.7°, the length of the long bottom edge in the cross section corresponds to the diameter of the light guide section, and the length of the short bottom edge corresponds to the width of a light exit face or the light decoupling structure arranged on the light guide section, thereby achieving a uniform and optimal light output effect. In particular, a light output width at the bridging light guide section can be set by adjusting the size of the value of the angle α between the side edge and the main light exit direction.

(19) The optical assembly described above can be integrally formed of an at least partially light-permeable material, e.g. injection moulded from polycarbonate, poly(methyl methacrylate), etc. The longitudinal extension of the optical assembly can be selected according to actual shaping requirements.

(20) The present invention is not limited to the structure described above; various other variants could also be used. Although the present invention has already been described by means of a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art could, drawing benefit from this disclosure, design other embodiments which do not depart from the scope of protection of the present invention disclosed herein. Thus, the scope of protection of the present invention should be defined by the attached claims alone.