Light device for motor vehicles

Abstract

A light device for motor vehicles, especially a signal lamp, comprises a carrier housing (1), covered by a translucent cover (2), and an inner chamber (3) wherein at least one light source for generating light rays is mounted, and a transparent optical part (5) with at least one output surface for the output of at least a part of light rays from the transparent optical part. The light device further comprises at least one macrotexture (8) the surface of which consists of individual surfaces designed for transmission and/or reflection of a part of light rays, the macrotexture and the transparent optical part arranged in such a way that in a view of the inner chamber (3) towards the output surface through the translucent cover from the outside of the light device, the impression of a spatial effect is produced, which is even visible with the light source being off.

Claims

1. A light device for motor vehicle signal lamps, comprising a carrier housing, covered by a transparent or translucent cover, and an inner chamber wherein at least one light source for generating light rays is mounted, and a transparent optical part different from the cover with at least one output surface for the output of at least a part of light rays from the transparent optical part, wherein the light device comprises at least one macrotexture the surface of which consists of individual surfaces designed for transmission and/or reflection of a part of light rays, the macrotexture and the transparent optical part being arranged, to form the spatial light images visible from outside looking at the light device even with the light source being off, wherein at least one of the macrotexture is created in the form of a macrotexture body different from the cover and from the transparent optical part, wherein the macrotexture body is deposited between the cover and the output surface in such a way that it is in contact with the at least one output surface in contact points, wherein at least a part of light rays exiting the output surface in the direction to cover passes through at least some of the contact points.

2. The light device in accordance with claim 1, wherein a macrotexture body essentially has a planar shape.

3. The light device in accordance with claim 1, wherein a macrotexture body is positioned outside the transparent optical part and at a distance from its output surface.

4. The light device in accordance with claim 1, wherein a macrotexture body is positioned inside the transparent optical part.

5. The light device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transparent optical part comprises at least one light-guiding element designed to guide light rays inside the transparent optical part.

6. The light device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one macrotexture comprises at least one unbinding surface configured to unbind light rays passing through the unbinding surface to another part of the transparent optical part and/or out of the transparent optical part.

7. The light device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one macrotexture comprises at least one binding surface to bind light rays passing through the binding surface to other parts of the light device.

8. The light device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one macrotexture comprises at least one reflective surface adapted to reflect light rays falling onto the reflective surface.

9. The light device in accordance with claim 8, wherein the reflective surfaces of the macrotexture are preferably geometrically arranged for uneven output of light rays from the output surface of the transparent optical part to produce the light image including brighter and darker areas, wherein the light image is visible from the outside looking at the light device.

10. The light device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transparent optical part is created as a compact casting.

11. The light device in accordance with claim 1, wherein in a propagation direction of the light rays generated by the light source, an optical element for routing the light rays to a required direction is arranged before the transparent optical part.

12. The light device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transparent optical part comprises collimating elements or other optical elements to route light rays to a required direction.

13. A light device for motor vehicle signal lamps, comprising a carrier housing, covered by a transparent or translucent cover, and an inner chamber wherein at least one light source for generating light rays is mounted, and a transparent optical part different from the cover with at least one output surface for the output of at least a part of light rays from the transparent optical part, wherein the light device comprises at least one macrotexture the surface of which consists of individual surfaces designed for transmission and/or reflection of a part of light rays, the macrotexture and the transparent optical part being arranged, to form the spatial light images visible from outside looking at the light device even with the light source being off, wherein at least one of the macrotexture is created in the form of a macrotexture body different from the cover and from the transparent optical part, wherein the transparent optical part comprises two light-guiding elements that are designed to guide light rays inside the transparent optical part and form between themselves a space in which the macrotexture body is deposited.

14. The light device in accordance with claim 13, wherein the at least one macrotexture comprises at least one unbinding surface configured to unbind light rays passing through the unbinding surface to another part of the transparent optical part and/or out of the transparent optical part.

15. The light device in accordance with claim 13, wherein the at least one macrotexture comprises at least one binding surface to bind light rays passing through the binding surface to other parts of the light device.

16. The light device in accordance with claim 13, wherein the at least one macrotexture comprises at least one reflective surface adapted to reflect light rays falling onto the reflective surface.

17. The light device in accordance with claim 16, wherein the reflective surfaces of the macrotexture are preferably geometrically arranged for uneven output of light rays from the output surface of the transparent optical part to produce the light image including brighter and darker areas, wherein the light image is visible from the outside looking at the light device.

18. The light device in accordance with claim 13, wherein the transparent optical part is created as a compact casting.

19. The light device in accordance with claim 13, wherein in a propagation direction of the light rays generated by the light source, an optical element for routing the light rays to a required direction is arranged before the transparent optical part.

20. The light device in accordance with claim 13, wherein the transparent optical part comprises collimating elements or other optical elements to route light rays to a required direction.

Description

OVERVIEW OF FIGURES IN THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be clarified in a more detailed way with the use of its embodiment examples with references to attached drawings, where:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a horizontal cross-section through a first embodiment example of the light device according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal cross-section through the light device of FIG. 1, taken along the line A-A in FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the light device of FIG. 1, taken along the line B-B in FIG. 1,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a horizontal cross-section through a second embodiment example of the light device,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a longitudinal cross-section through the light device of FIG. 4, taken along the line A-A of FIG. 4,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the light device of FIG. 4, taken along the line B-B of FIG. 4,

(8) FIG. 7 shows a horizontal cross-section through a third embodiment example of the light device,

(9) FIG. 8 shows a longitudinal cross-section through the light device of FIG. 7, taken along the line A-A of FIG. 7,

(10) FIG. 9 shows a sectional view of the light device of FIG. 7, taken along the line B-B of FIG. 7,

(11) FIG. 10 shows a horizontal cross-section through a fourth embodiment example of the light device,

(12) FIG. 11 shows a longitudinal cross-section through the light device of FIG. 10, taken along line A-A of FIG. 10,

(13) FIG. 12 shows a sectional view of the light device of FIG. 10, taken along the line B-B of FIG. 10,

(14) FIG. 13 shows a transversal cross-section through a fifth embodiment example of the light device,

(15) FIG. 14 shows an axonometric view of a sixth embodiment example of the light device,

(16) FIG. 15 shows a longitudinal cross-section on plane A through the light device of FIG. 14,

(17) FIG. 16 shows a horizontal cross-section through a seventh embodiment example of the light device,

(18) FIG. 17 shows a longitudinal cross-section through an eighth embodiment example of the light device,

(19) FIG. 18 shows a longitudinal cross-section through a ninth embodiment example of the light device,

(20) FIG. 19 shows a longitudinal cross-section through a tenth embodiment example of the light device, and

(21) FIG. 20 shows a longitudinal cross-section through an eleventh embodiment example of the light device.

EXAMPLES OF EMBODIMENTS

(22) With reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3, the first example of an embodiment of the light device according to the invention comprises a shaped carrier housing 1 forming the inner chamber 3 of the light device, which is covered by a translucent cover 2. In the inner chamber 3, lighting units 4 adapted to emit light rays 100 and a spatially shaped transparent optical part 5 are mounted, the transparent optical part comprising collimating elements 6 or other optical elements for collimation of light rays 100, light-guiding elements 7 designed to guide light rays 100 inside the transparent optical part 5 and an externally situated surface macrotexture 8 to ensure the required emission characteristic of the light trace, the macrotexture 8 being adapted to create a plastic pattern in the optical surface, e.g. a designer element in the form of a light-emitting pattern. Within the body of the light-guiding element 7, light rays 100 are routed and guided towards the translucent cover 2 on the one hand, and light is unbound in the required direction with the required output characteristics of the light beam on the other hand. In this embodiment, the unbinding surfaces 81 of the macrotexture 8 at the same time represent the output surfaces 51 of the transparent optical part 5, light rays 100 being diverted from the direction X, which produces areas with a different light intensity and a 3D effect/plastic pattern is produced in the view of the inner chamber 3. The 3D effect and/or plastic pattern are also maintained when the light source 41 of the lighting unit 4 is off.

(23) According to FIG. 4, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, a second example of an embodiment of the light device according to the invention comprises a spatially shaped transparent optical part 5 with an output surface 51, which comprises collimating elements 6 adapted to collimate light rays 100, light-guiding elements 7 designed to guide light rays 100 inside the transparent optical part 5, and an inwardly oriented surface macrotexture 8 adapted with its binding surfaces 82 to bind light rays 100 into the light-guiding element 7.

(24) FIG. 7, FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 show a third example of an embodiment of the light device, wherein the spatially shaped transparent optical part 5 comprises five surface macrotextures 8 arranged next to each other, which light rays 100 exit from, the unbinding surfaces 81 being oriented towards a closed chamber 9 created in the transparent optical part 5.

(25) FIG. 10, FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 show a fourth example of an embodiment of the light device, wherein the spatially shaped transparent optical part 5 comprises light-guiding elements 7 fitted with a macrotexture 8 adapted with its reflective surfaces 83 to reflect light rays 100 into the light-guiding element 7.

(26) FIG. 13 shows a fifth example of an embodiment of the light device, wherein the spatially shaped transparent optical element 5 is fitted with two separate macrotextures 8 arranged in the propagation direction of the rays one after another, wherein the first macrotexture 8 is situated on the light-guiding element 7 and is adapted with its binding surface 82 to bind light rays 100, and the other macrotexture 8 is created on the collimating element 6 and is adapted to unbind light rays 100 through the unbinding surface 81.

(27) FIG. 14 and FIG. 15 show a sixth example of an embodiment of the light device, wherein the spatially shaped transparent optical part 5 is fitted with five separate macrotextures 8 situated on the spatially shaped light-guiding element 7 adapted to guide and route light rays 100.

(28) FIG. 16 shows a seventh example of an embodiment of the light device, wherein the spatially shaped transparent optical part 5 is designed as a compact casting. The transparent optical part 5 consists of the light-guiding element 7, which is fitted with two macrotextures 8. The first, outwardly oriented, macrotexture 8 is implemented as a diffusion element and with its unbinding surfaces 81 it is adapted to emit a diverted/diffused beam of light rays 100. The other macrotexture 8, oriented towards the light source 41, is fitted with binding surfaces 82 and reflective surfaces 83, wherein the binding surfaces 82 are adapted to bind and guide at least a part of light rays 100 generated by at least one of the light sources 41 of the lighting unit 4 while by means of geometrically arranged reflective surfaces 83 light rays are directed in such a way to ensure uneven unbinding of light rays from the output surface 51 of the transparent optical part 5. Thus, in the lit state, a plastic pattern is created when in the optical display surface various light areas are produced with different light intensities and/or with different propagation directions of light rays to create the light/shade contract or to create brighter and darker areas in the display surface. In the propagation direction of light rays 100, before the transparent optical part 5, an optical element 10 is arranged to route light rays 100 to the required direction, the optical element 10 being implemented e.g. as a separate collimating element or an optical lens or light guide.

(29) FIGS. 17 to 20 show eighth to eleventh examples of embodiments of the light device according to the present invention, which are different from the previous embodiments described above, in that at least one of the macrotextures 8 is created on a separate body 11 that preferably has an essentially flat shape. An advantage of such a solution is that with a particular design of the transparent optical part 5 and/or light-guiding element 7, differently configured bodies 11 and their placing in various positions can be used to achieve principally different light effects produced by the light device without variously shaped transparent parts 5 or light-guiding elements 7 having to be produced in a costly manner. The advantage of the above mentioned essentially flat shape of the body 11 is that with such a shape of the body 11 this body 11 occupies minimal space.

(30) FIG. 17 particularly shows an eighth example of an embodiment of the device according to the invention, wherein the body 11 fitted with a macrotexture 8 is positioned adjacent to the output surface 51 of the transparent optical part 5, the macrotexture comprising an unbinding surface 81.

(31) FIG. 18 shows a ninth example of an embodiment of the light device according to the present invention, wherein the body 11 fitted with a macrotexture 8 is positioned on the output surface 51 or near the output surface of the transparent optical part 5 in such a way that the macrotexture 8 faces the transparent optical part 5 with its binding surface 82, and its unbinding surface 81 faces away from the transparent optical part 5.

(32) FIG. 19 shows a tenth example of an embodiment of the light device according to the present invention, wherein the body 11 fitted with a macrotexture 8 is positioned inside the transparent optical part 5 in the space between its two light-guiding elements 7 and the macrotexture 8 comprises an unbinding surface 81 and a binding surface 82.

(33) FIG. 20 shows an eleventh example of an embodiment of the light device according to the present invention, which is very similar to the previous example, differing from it however with the shape design of the unbinding surface 81 and binding surface 82.

LIST OF REFERENCE MARKS

(34) 1carrier housing 2translucent cover 3inner chamber 4lighting unit 41light source 5transparent optical part 51output surface 6collimating element 7light-guiding element 8macrotexture 81unbinding surface 82binding surface 83reflective surface 9chamber 10optical element 11(macrotexture) body 100light ray X, Y, Zcoordinate axes of the Cartesian coordinate system