Illuminable Vehicle Component, and Motor Vehicle Having an Illuminable Vehicle Component

Abstract

An illuminable vehicle component includes a visible side and a component surface that is arranged on the visible side and provided with a three-dimensional structure pattern. At least one first light-producing device is arranged in a defined position relative to the component surface such that light emitted thereby illuminates first structure portions and generates a shadow that is cast on second structure portions. At least one second light-producing device is arranged in a defined position relative to the component surface such that light emitted thereby illuminates the second structure portions and generates a shadow that is cast on the first structure portions.

Claims

1.-12. (canceled)

13. An illuminable vehicle component, comprising: a visible side and a component surface arranged on the visible side, wherein the component surface is provided with a three-dimensional structural pattern, a first light generating device, which is arranged in a defined position with respect to the component surface such that light emitted by the first light generating device illuminates first structural sections and generates shadowing on second structural sections, and a second light generating device, which is arranged in a defined position with respect to the component surface such that light emitted by the second light generating device illuminates the second structural sections and generates shadowing on the first structural sections.

14. The illuminable vehicle component according to claim 13, wherein: the light emitted by the first light generating device and the light emitted by the second light generating device are directed onto mutually opposite sides of the component surface.

15. The illuminable vehicle component according to claim 13, wherein: the first light generating device is arranged such that the light emitted by the first light generating device generates shadowing in a lower subregion of the second structural sections and illuminates an upper subregion of the second structural sections.

16. The illuminable vehicle component according to claim 13, wherein: the three-dimensional structural pattern comprises a serrated structure with first structural faces having a first pitch angle and second structural faces having a second pitch angle, a principal angle of incidence of the light emitted by the first light generating device is greater than the second pitch angle, and a principal angle of incidence of the light emitted by the second light generating device is greater than the first pitch angle.

17. The illuminable vehicle component according to claim 13, wherein: two or more first light generating devices are provided, which are respectively configured to illuminate different first structural sections.

18. The illuminable vehicle component according to claim 17, wherein: the two or more first light generating devices are configured to emit different light colors with respect to one another, and light cones of the two or more first light generating devices partially overlap one another.

19. The vehicle component according to claim 13, wherein: the three-dimensional structural pattern is a periodic structure.

20. The vehicle component according to claim 13, wherein: the three-dimensional structural pattern comprises a tapering structural pattern.

21. The vehicle component according to claim 13, wherein: a maximum height of the three-dimensional structural pattern is 2 cm or less.

22. The vehicle component according to claim 13, wherein: a maximum height of the three-dimensional structural pattern is 1 cm or less.

23. The vehicle component according to claim 13, wherein: the component surface is configured as a textile surface, leather surface, wood surface, metal surface or plastic surface.

24. A motor vehicle comprising the vehicle component according to claim 13, wherein: the vehicle component forms an inner trim component or an interior surface of the vehicle.

25. The motor vehicle according to claim 24, wherein: the first light generating device and the second light generating device are arranged in a fixed position in the vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of an exemplary vehicle component.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the vehicle component of FIG. 1.

[0030] FIGS. 3 and 4 show other exemplary vehicle components in a sectional view.

[0031] FIG. 5 shows a plan view of an exemplary three-dimensional structural pattern.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 show exemplary vehicle components 10, 10A and 10B having a visible side 20, on which a component surface 30 comprising a three-dimensional structural pattern 40, 40A, 40B is arranged. In FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, for reasons of illustration, only one individual structure of the structural pattern 40, 40A, 40B is represented. The structural pattern 40, 40A, 40B comprises a plurality of these individual structures, which may be arranged next to one another and behind one another.

[0033] The structural pattern 40, 40A, 40B may be a periodic or tapering structural pattern. An exemplary periodic structural pattern 40C, which is formed by a plurality of individual structures, is shown in FIG. 5. The component surface 30 depicted there is a textile surface, although the component surface may alternatively also be formed as a leather surface, wood surface, metal surface or plastic surface.

[0034] The vehicle component 1 furthermore comprises a first light generating device 50 and a second light generating device 60. The first light generating device 50 is arranged in such a way that its light cone 52 strikes first structural sections 42 of the structural pattern 40. Second structural sections 44 remain unilluminated, the first lighting device 50 generating shadowing there. The second light generating device 60 is arranged in such a way that its light cone 62 strikes second structural sections 44 of the structural pattern 40 and generates shadowing on the first structural sections 42. Different structural sections may thus be illuminated with different light intensities or colors, and attractive and novel light/shadow effects may be generated.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the vehicle component of FIG. 1 in order to illustrate the structural sections 42 and 44 that receive light.

[0036] The structural pattern 40 of FIGS. 1 and 2 is a sawtooth structural pattern having first and second structural faces 46, 48. In order to generate the light/shadow effect described above, in this configuration a principal angle of incidence ?1 of the light emitted by the first light generating device 50 is greater than the second pitch angle ?2 of the second structural face 48, and a principal angle of incidence ?2 of the light emitted by the second light generating device 60 is greater than a first pitch angle ?1 of the first structural face 46.

[0037] FIG. 3 shows another exemplary vehicle component 1A having three first light generating devices 50A, 50B and 50C, which illuminate the vehicle component with an offset, so that they illuminate different structural sections but neighboring light cones intersect. The light generating devices 50A, 50B and 50C respectively radiate light with a different light color. By the superposition of the light cones, mixed colors may be produced and additional color effects may be generated on the component. By way of example, a second light generating device 60 for generating the light/shadow effect described above is represented. Alternatively, two or more second light generating devices may also be providedin a similar way to the first light generating devices.

[0038] FIG. 4 shows another alternative exemplary embodiment, in which the second structural section 44B comprises a kinked profile that has a shallower pitch angle in the upper region 44B than in the lower region 44B. The first light generating device 50 is arranged in such a way that light emitted by it generates shadowing in the lower subregion 44B of the second structural section 44B, but illuminates an upper subregion 44B of the first structural section. With the superimposed illumination by the second light generating device 60, two different brightness or color effects are obtained on the second structural section 44B.

[0039] The arrangement comprising a plurality of light generating devices may also be combined with the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0040] 10, 10A, 10B vehicle component [0041] 20 visible side [0042] 30 component surface [0043] 40, 40A, 40B, 40C structural pattern [0044] 42, 44 structural sections [0045] 46, 48 structural face [0046] 50, 50A-C, 60 light generating device [0047] 52, 62 light cone