Illumination Apparatus for a Motor Vehicle Headlight

Abstract

An illumination device (10) for a motor vehicle headlight, wherein the illumination device (10) comprises: a light source (50) for irradiating a light beam in a first direction of radiation (X1), a first deflection device (100) configured to deflect the light beam in a second direction of radiation (X2), and a second deflection device (200) for deflecting the light beam deflected by the first deflection device (100) in a third direction of radiation (X3) and for producing a light distribution in front of the illumination device (10), wherein
the illumination device comprises at least one expanding optic (300) with a focus (F1), wherein said expanding optic (300) is associated with the at least one light source (50) and is configured to expand the light beam emitted by the light source (50) in the direction of the first direction of radiation (X1), wherein the at least one light source (50) is arranged in the direction of the first direction of radiation (X1) between the at least one expanding optic (300) and the focus (F1) of the expanding optic (300).

Claims

1. An illumination device (10) for a motor vehicle headlight, wherein the illumination device comprises the following: at least one light source (50) for irradiating a light beam in a first direction of radiation (X1); a first deflection device (100) with a deflection surface (110) configured to deflect at least part of the light beam of the at least one light source (50) in a second direction of radiation (X2); and a second deflection device (200) with a plurality of independently controllable and movable deflection elements for deflecting at least part of the light beam deflected by the first deflection device (100) in a third direction of radiation (X3) and for producing a light distribution in front of the illumination device (10), wherein the illumination device comprises at least one expanding optic (300) with a focus (F1), wherein said expanding optic (300) is associated with the at least one light source (50) and is configured to expand the light beam emitted by the light source (50) in the direction of the first direction of radiation (X1), wherein the at least one light source (50) is arranged in the direction of the first direction of radiation (X1) between the at least one expanding optic (300) and the focus (F1) of the expanding optic (300).

2. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the second deflection device (200) is configured as a digital micromirror array with a plurality of micromirrors arrayed next to one another and controllable individually or in groups.

3. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one light source (50) is configured as at least one light-emitting diode or as at least one laser diode.

4. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the illumination device (10) comprises at least two light sources (50), preferably exactly two light sources (50).

5. The illumination device according to claim 4, wherein the illumination device comprises at least two expanding optics (300), wherein exactly one expanding optic (300) is associated with each light source.

6. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the first direction of radiation (X1) is parallel to the third direction of radiation (X3).

7. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the deflection surface (110) of the first deflection device (100) is configured as a hyperbolic, parabolic or ellipsoidal reflector.

8. The illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the first deflection device (100) is configured to focus the light beam of the at least one light source (50) onto a point located behind the second deflection device (200) in the direction of the second direction of radiation (X2).

9. A motor vehicle headlight comprising at least one illumination device according to claim 1.

10. The illumination device according to claim 4, wherein the illumination device (10) comprises exactly two light sources (50).

11. The illumination device according to claim 5, wherein the illumination device comprises exactly two expanding optics (300).

Description

[0037] The invention is explained in more detail in the following with reference to illustrative drawings, which show

[0038] FIG. 1 a schematic illustration of an example illumination device.

[0039] FIG. 1 shows an illustrative illumination device 10 for a motor vehicle headlight, wherein the illumination device 10 comprises a light source 50 for irradiating a light beam in a first direction of radiation X1, the light source 50 being configured as a light-emitting diode or LED, and a first deflection device 100 with a deflection surface 110 configured to deflect at least part of the light beam of the light source 50 in a second direction of radiation X2.

[0040] The illumination device 10 further comprises a second deflection device 200 with a plurality of independently controllable and movable deflection elements for deflecting at least part of the light beam deflected by the first deflection device 100 in a third direction of radiation X3 and for producing a light distribution in front of the illumination device 10.

[0041] In the illustrated example, the second deflection device 200 is configured as a digital micromirror array (also called DMD) with a plurality of micromirrors arrayed next to one another and controllable individually or in groups.

[0042] The illumination device 10 further comprises an expanding optic 300 with a focus F1, wherein said expanding optic 300 is associated with the light source 50 and is configured to expand the light beam emitted by the light source 50 in the direction of the first direction of radiation X1, wherein the light source 50 is arranged in the direction of the first direction of radiation X1 between the expanding optic 300 and the focus F1 of the expanding optic 300.

[0043] The term “expansion” or “expand” is understood to mean a magnification of an optical beam diameter to a certain size. An expansion can be brought about, for example, by means of different optical lens systems. The illustrated example, however, shows a single expanding optic 300 or lens and not an optical system consisting of a plurality of lenses.

[0044] In other words, the light beam irradiated by the light source 50 and impinging on the expanding optic 300 exhibits a certain beam diameter on the light entry side of the expanding optic 300 and a larger beam diameter after it leaves the light exit side of the expanding optic 300 due to the expanding optic 300.

[0045] By arranging the light source 50 between the expanding optic 300 and the focus F1 of the expanding optic 300, the light source 50 or light-emitting surface of the light source 50 is imaged virtually behind the light source 50 contrary to the first direction of radiation X1 or main direction of radiation of the light source 50. By means of the virtual imaging of the light source 50, the irradiated light beam is magnified at the first deflection device 100. This has the effect that a larger area of the first deflection device 100 can be irradiated while the length of the optical path between the light source 50 and the first deflection element 100 is simultaneously minimized, i.e. the overall assembly space of the illumination device 100 can be reduced.

[0046] “Main direction of radiation” is to be understood as the direction in which a light source 50 irradiates light with the greatest intensity or the most light as a result of its directionality.

[0047] It can be provided that the deflection surface 110 of the first deflection device 100 is configured as a hyperbolic, parabolic or ellipsoidal reflector. The first deflection element 100 can further focus the light beam of the light source 50 onto a point located behind the second deflection device 200 in the direction of the second direction of radiation X2.

[0048] As a further embodiment of the illustrative illumination device in FIG. 1, it is possible to provide exactly two light sources, wherein exactly one expanding optic is associated with each light source.

TABLE-US-00001 LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS Illumination device . . . 10 Light source . . . 50 First deflection device . . . 100 Deflection surface . . . 110 Second deflection device . . . 200 Expanding optic . . . 300 Focus . . . F1 First direction of radiation . . . X1 Second direction of radiation . . . X2 Third direction of radiation . . . X3