Lighting module and lighting method for generating two different lighting effects

Abstract

A lighting module is provided for generating two different lighting effects, and includes at least one light source, a first primary optical element, a second primary optical element, and a projection lens. The first primary optical element contains a diffusion surface diffusing the light beams from the light source to homogenously light the projections lens for a first lighting effect. The first primary optical element has a first reflector and second reflector. The first reflector reflects light beams from the light source in a boundary area between the diffusion surface and another section of the lighting module onto the second reflector to direct these light beams through the diffusion surface onto the projection lens. The second primary optical element directs light beams from the light source onto the projection lens to light the projection lens for a second lighting effect.

Claims

1. A lighting module for generating two different lighting effects, the lighting module comprising: at least one light source, a first primary optical element including a diffusion surface diffusing light from the at least one light source, the first primary optical element also including a first reflector and second reflector, a second primary optical element, and a projection lens, wherein the light diffused by the first primary optical element homogenously lights the projections lens for a first lighting effect, wherein the first reflector reflects light beams from the at least one light source in a boundary area of the first primary optical element onto the second reflector to direct said light beams through the diffusion surface onto the projection lens, wherein the second primary optical element directs light beams from the at least one light source onto the projection lens to light the projection lens for a second lighting effect, and wherein the lighting module directs light beams from the at least one light source exclusively through the first primary optical element for the low beam effect and directs light beams from the at least one light source exclusively through the second primary optical element for the high beam effect.

2. The lighting module according to claim 1, wherein the first reflector forms the boundary area.

3. The lighting module according to claim 1, wherein the first reflector and/or the second reflector reflect the light beams from the at least one light source in a total reflection.

4. The lighting module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one light source includes a first light unit for lighting the first primary optical element and a second light unit for lighting the second primary optical element.

5. The lighting module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one light source contains at least one collimator narrowing the light beams from the at least one light source prior to entering the first primary optical element such that the light beams strike the boundary area and diffusion surface, wherein the first reflector and second reflector expand the light beams striking the boundary area as they pass through the first primary optical element to homogenously light the entire projection lens for the first lighting effect.

6. The lighting module according to claim 1, wherein the diffusion surface diffuses the light beams from the at least one light source such that they homogenously light the entire projection lens.

7. The lighting module according to claim 1, wherein the diffusion surface has a surface area with a predefined or statistically distributed diffusion effect.

8. A lighting method for generating two different lighting effects, the lighting method comprising the steps of: directing light beams from a first light source exclusively through a first primary optical element for a first lighting effect; diffusing the light beams from the first light source by a diffusion surface in the first primary optical element; homogenously lighting a projection lens for the first lighting effect with the diffused light beams, wherein the light beams from the first light source are reflected by a first reflector in the first primary optical element onto a second reflector in the first primary optical element, to direct the light beams from the first light source in a boundary area of the first primary optical element through the diffusion surface onto the projection lens; and directing light beams from a second light source exclusively through a second primary optical element for a second lighting effect, such that the light beams from the second light source are directed toward the projection lens, to light the projection lens with the second lighting effect.

9. A vehicle comprising a lighting module according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Reference is now made more particularly to the drawings, which illustrate the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention and wherein similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout the views.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of one possible embodiment of the lighting module presented herein, in a perspective view.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a side view of the lighting module from FIG. 1 in a first operating mode.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a side view of the lighting module from FIG. 1 in a second operating mode.

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of one possible design of the lighting method presented herein.

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of one possible embodiment of the vehicle presented herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(7) A lighting module 100 is shown in FIG. 1. The lighting module 100 comprises a first light source 101, a second light source 103, a first primary optical element 105, a second primary optical element 107, and a projection lens 109.

(8) The first light source 101 is activated in FIG. 1, such that light beams 111 enter the first primary optical element 105. Some of light beams 111 from the first light source 101 pass directly through a diffusion surface 113 onto the projection lens 109. Other light beams 111 strike a boundary area 115 comprising a first reflector 117, such that these light beams 111 are reflected onto a second reflector 119, and from the second reflector through the diffusion surface 113, onto the projection lens 109.

(9) The diffusion surface 113 diffuses, i.e. enlarges, the cross section of an area that is lit when the light beams 111 exit the diffusion surface 113, in relation to the cross section of the area lit by the light beams 111 exiting the first light source 101. This diffusion surface 113 can contain diffracting elements that are curved, in particular with a concave shape. The entire projection lens is therefore lit by the light beams 111 particularly homogeneously. The diffusion surface 113, or the material forming the diffusion surface 113 can also be shaped such that the cross section of the area lit by the light beams 111 exiting the diffusion surface 113 is greater than the cross section of the area lit by the light beams 111 exiting the first light source 101. This diffusion surface 113 itself can also be curved, in particular concave.

(10) The lighting module 100 is shown in a side view in FIG. 2, in which light strikes the first primary optical element 105, thus generating a first lighting effect. It is clear here that the light beams 111 exiting the first primary optical element 105 light a very large area, such that light strikes the entire projection lens 109.

(11) It is clear in particular that light beams 111 exiting the first primary optical element 105 are initially parallel to a boundary line 123 between the first primary optical element 105 and the second primary optical element 107 due to collimators 121 in front of the first primary optical element 105, and are subsequently either reflected or exit the first primary optical element 105, abandoning the parallel path, such that some of them intersect the boundary line 123.

(12) The lighting module 100 is shown in a side view in FIG. 3, in which light strikes the second primary optical element 107, thus generating a second lighting effect, which is different from the first lighting effect shown in FIG. 2. It can be seen here that the light beams 125 exiting the second primary optical element 107 light a focused, small part of the projection lens 109, such that very bright light only strikes a small part of the projection lens 109, as is typical for a high beam setting, for example.

(13) A lighting method 400 for generating two different lighting effects is shown in FIG. 4. The lighting method 400 uses the lighting module 100 and comprises a first step 401, in which light beams from at least one light source are directed toward a first primary optical element, such that the light beams from the at least one light source are diffused by a diffusion surface in the first primary optical element, and homogenously light a projection lens for a first lighting effect in which the light beams from the at least one light source are reflected by a first reflector in the first primary optical element onto a second reflector in the first primary optical element in order to direct the light beams from the at least one light source striking a boundary area between the diffusion surface and another section through the diffusion surface onto the projection lens, and a second step 403, in which the light beams from the at least one light source are directed toward a second primary optical element such that the light beams from the at least one light source are directed through the projection lens for a second lighting effect.

(14) A vehicle 500 is shown in FIG. 5. The vehicle 500 contains the lighting module 100. A lighting surface 501 on the front of the vehicle 500 formed by the projection lens 109 can project a diffused light with an intensity corresponding to a low beam effect, or a supplementary lighting effect for distinguishing traffic signs, or a focused light with an intensity corresponding to a high beam effect, for example.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

(15) 100 lighting module 101 first light source 103 second light source 105 first primary optical element 107 second primary optical element 109 projection lens 111 light beams 113 diffusion surface 115 boundary area 117 first reflector 119 second reflector 121 collimator 123 boundary line 125 light beams 400 lighting method 401 first step 403 second step 500 vehicle 501 lighting surface