Light guide block having a luminous frame

Abstract

The invention relates to a light guide block made up of a plurality of light guide rods (9) that are molded in a curable filler material, wherein for manufacturing the light guide block (1, 2), the curable filler material is fillable into an at least half-open trough (3), the light guide rods (9), as plastic injection-molded parts or plastic molded parts, being molded onto surfaces (4-8) of the trough (3) that is made, at least partially or in sections, of light-conducting plastic.

Claims

1. A light guide block made up of a plurality of light guide rods (9) that are molded in a curable filler material (11), wherein for manufacturing the light guide block (1, 2), the curable filler material (11) is fillable into an at least half-open trough (3), characterized in that the light guide rods (9), as plastic injection-molded parts or plastic molded parts, are molded onto surfaces (4-8) of the trough (3) that is made, at least partially or in sections, of light-conducting plastic.

2. The light guide block according to claim 1, characterized in that the light guide rods (9) are molded onto the base wall (4) of the trough (3), which is light-conducting at least in part or in sections.

3. The light guide block according to claim 1, characterized in that the trough (3) as a whole is produced from a light-conducting plastic, and at least some surfaces (4-8) of the trough (3) have a light-emitting design.

4. The light guide block according to claim 1, characterized in that some of the walls (5-8) of the trough (3) are removed.

5. The light guide block according to claim 1, characterized in that for generating light at the base wall (4) of the trough (3), the base wall is configured to be coupled to a number of light-generating light rods (18).

6. The light guide block according to claim 1, characterized in that for generating light at the base wall (4) of the trough (3), the base wall (4) is configured to be coupled to a light-generating light panel (26).

7. The light guide block according to claim 1, characterized in that flowthrough openings for discharging surface water are situated in the base plate (4) of the trough (3).

8. The light guide block according to claim 1, characterized in that the light guide block (1a-1d) in the installed state forms a luminous frame (31) on the visible side.

Description

[0043] The figures show the following:

[0044] FIG. 1: schematically shows the top view of a light guide block in the not yet filled state;

[0045] FIG. 2: shows the light guide block according to FIG. 1 corresponding to the section of line A-A;

[0046] FIG. 3: shows the light guide block according to FIG. 2 in the filled state;

[0047] FIG. 4: shows one embodiment of a light guide block in a modification compared to FIG. 3;

[0048] FIG. 5: shows a detail C according to FIG. 2;

[0049] FIG. 6: shows a light guide block as a detailed illustration in the not yet filled state;

[0050] FIG. 7: shows the light guide block according to FIG. 2 with an illustration of the light generation via light rods;

[0051] FIG. 8: shows the section according to line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7;

[0052] FIG. 9: shows one embodiment in a modification compared to FIG. 7, in which a light panel is used for the light generation;

[0053] FIG. 10: shows an exploded illustration of the section according to line X-X in FIG. 9; and

[0054] FIG. 11: shows the top view of the visible side of light guide blocks installed in a surface, with an illustration of the resulting luminous frame.

[0055] FIGS. 1 and 2 schematically illustrate a light guide block 1 made up of a plastic injection-molded part, which itself is formed from a light-conducting plastic.

[0056] The light guide block 1 is made up of a trough 3 comprising a base wall 4 onto which the side walls 5, 6 are molded. The trough 3 is closed off at the front and the rear by a front wall 7 and a rear wall 8, respectively.

[0057] In the exemplary embodiment shown, the light guide block 1 has outer dimensions of 396 mm×396 mm, for example, the width of the light guide rods 9 situated there is approximately 40 mm, and the distance between the light guide rods 9 is approximately 60 mm.

[0058] The thickness of the rear wall 8 and of all side walls is approximately 2 mm.

[0059] The height of the trough is approximately 51 mm, and the thickness of the base wall is approximately 1.5 mm.

[0060] It is apparent from FIG. 2 that a plurality of light guide rods 9 is integrally molded onto the base wall 4, in particular via the connecting surfaces 10 shown at that location.

[0061] It has been stated in the general description that the light guide rods 9 together with the trough 3 may be produced in the same injection molding process, or, in another embodiment, in a so-called progressive mold, in which the trough 3 is first injected, and the light guide rods 9 are subsequently molded onto the base wall 4 of the produced trough in the injection molding process.

[0062] It is important that a favorable optical transition results at the connecting surfaces 10 in order to allow light conduction at that location, preferably with no interference, between the base wall 4 and the light guide rods 9 mounted and molded thereon.

[0063] FIG. 3 shows a completely filled light guide block 1 produced according to FIGS. 1 and 2. It is apparent in the figure that the light guide block is filled with a curable filler material 11. Two light sources 13, spaced apart from one another, which direct a light against the base wall 4 in the arrow directions 14 are merely indicated schematically.

[0064] This light is distributed over the light-conducting base wall 4 in all directions, so that on the one hand the light penetrates into the bottom side of the light guide rods 9 in the depicted arrow directions, but on the other hand also exits laterally via the walls 4-8.

[0065] The peripheral walls 5-8 are thus luminous in the arrow direction 16 at the top, and also in the arrow direction 15 at the side, so that, depending on the presence of the walls 5-8, a circumferential or noncircumferential luminous frame results around the light guide block 1.

[0066] The primary light emission will take place in the arrow direction 17 via the light-emitting front sides of the light guide rods 9 that are directed upwardly toward the visible side.

[0067] FIG. 4 shows, in one exemplary embodiment in a modification compared to FIG. 3, that some walls, for example the side walls 5, 6, may be omitted, so that only the base wall 4 is present, and possibly also the front wall 7 and the rear wall 8, so that a luminous frame is still provided only in the area of the walls that are present, while the remaining wall surfaces are absent.

[0068] FIG. 5 shows, in an enlarged detail C from FIG. 2, that the light emission takes place over all surfaces of the walls 4-8.

[0069] FIG. 6 schematically shows a trough 3 according to the invention that is not yet filled with filler material 11.

[0070] FIG. 7 shows, as a first option for generating light, so-called light rods 18, which may be made up of individual LEDs that are linked to one another, and which as straight rods are clipped or wedged into associated longitudinal grooves 23 in the base wall 4 that are open at the bottom.

[0071] The LEDs form a continuous light chain, and are electrically connected to one another in series via the two power cables 20, 21.

[0072] Since the light-emitting light rods 18 are situated directly beneath the light guide rods 9, their light-emitting front side 19 emits a particularly intense light at the top in the arrow directions 17.

[0073] On the other hand, the light rods 18 also illuminate the base wall 4, so that light travels to the peripheral walls 5-8 in the depicted arrow directions 24, 25 and produces the luminous frame at that location.

[0074] In the series connection according to FIG. 7, the light rods 18 are electrically conductively connected in series via connecting cables 22.

[0075] FIGS. 9 and 10 show another preferred embodiment of the light generation, in which, according to FIG. 10, a light panel 26 is proposed which is designed, for example, as a current-conducting circuit board having a number of LEDs 27 arranged in a grid-like manner on its surface. The light panel 26 thus formed is coupled to the base wall 4 of the trough 3 by the fact that upwardly directed locking legs 28 are situated on the light panel 26, and are lockable into an associated circumferential locking groove 29 on the underside of the base wall 4.

[0076] Of course, the invention is not limited to this embodiment. Multiple locking points or locking surfaces may be present, and other detachable connections between a light panel 26 and the associated base wall 4 of the trough 3 may also take place. For example, mechanical locking means, adhesives, bonding agents, or the like may be situated between the light panel 26 and the base wall 4 of the trough 3.

[0077] FIG. 11 shows an installed state of light guide blocks adjacently arranged in a grid-like manner, it being apparent that the peripheral walls 5-8 shown here now form a luminous frame 31 that emits the light at the top.

[0078] The light panel 26, which introduces the light into the base wall 4 of a single light guide block 1 in the arrow direction 30, may be designed to be larger or smaller than the surface of the base wall. However, it may also be significantly larger, and may, for example, span the number of light guide blocks 1 illustrated in FIG. 11 on the base side. Thus, multiple adjacently situated light guide blocks are supplied with light, using one light panel 26.

[0079] In one embodiment not illustrated in the drawings, it is provided that the introduction of light takes place not at the base wall 4 of the trough 3, but, rather, at one or more of the side walls 5, 6 and/or the front and/or rear wall 7, 8, respectively.

[0080] All of the designs described above, which have been explained with regard to introduction of light into the base wall 4, are suitable for the type of light introduction into the aforementioned walls 5-8. Accordingly, the introduction of light via light guide rods 18 laid in longitudinal grooves 23 in the walls 5-8, as well as the introduction of light via light panels 26 which are now oppositely situated and in light-conducting contact with one or more of the walls 5-8, are possible.

[0081] The introduction of light into one or more of the side walls 5-8 has the advantage that the height of the light conductor block 1 is not increased, since the mounting of light-emitting elements on the base side is omitted.

[0082] However, it may also be provided that the light panel 26 is angled, and allows introduction of light into the base plate as well as introduction of light into one or more walls 5-8.

[0083] It may likewise be provided that the longitudinal grooves 23 together with the light guide rods 18 situated at that location are arranged in one or more of the walls 5-8 and also in the base wall 4.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0084] 1 light guide block [0085] 2 light guide block [0086] 3 trough (light-conducting) [0087] 4 base wall [0088] 5 side wall [0089] 6 side wall [0090] 7 front wall [0091] 8 rear wall [0092] 9 light guide rod [0093] 10 connecting surface [0094] 11 filler material [0095] 12 filling level [0096] 13 light source [0097] 14 arrow direction [0098] 15 arrow direction [0099] 16 arrow direction [0100] 17 arrow direction [0101] 18 light rod [0102] 19 front side (of 9) [0103] 20 power cable [0104] 21 power cable [0105] 22 connecting cable [0106] 23 longitudinal groove [0107] 24 arrow direction [0108] 25 arrow direction [0109] 26 light panel [0110] 27 LED [0111] 28 locking leg [0112] 29 locking groove [0113] 30 arrow direction [0114] 31 luminous frame