REDUCED-TOLERANCE LIGHTING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES

Abstract

A lighting module for use in a lighting device for a vehicle, having at least one light source unit, a first optical unit and a second optical unit as well as at least one support element, wherein the light source unit comprises at least one light source, and wherein at least the first optical unit and the second optical unit are arranged, in particular in a positionally fixed manner, on the support element, and wherein at least one first reference mark is provided on the first optical unit and at least one second reference mark on the second optical unit. In addition, the invention relates to a lighting device as well as to a method.

Claims

1. A lighting module for a lighting device for a vehicle, the lighting module comprising: at least one light source unit comprising at least one light source; a first optical unit; a second optical unit; and at least one support element, wherein at least the first optical unit and the second optical unit are arranged in a positionally fixed manner on the support element, wherein at least one first reference mark is provided on the first optical unit and at least one second reference mark on the second optical unit, wherein the first reference mark and the second reference mark are designed such that a relative positional shift between the first optical unit, and wherein the second optical unit is determined by a detection of the first reference mark and the second reference mark.

2. The lighting module according to claim 1, wherein at least one reference mark of at least one optical unit is designed such that it is detected through an optical and/or tactile measurement of the optical unit and/or wherein the location of at least one reference mark of at least one optical unit is correlated with the alignment of at least one optical axis of the optical unit.

3. The lighting module according to claim 1, wherein at least one lens element of at least one optical unit has on a light emission side, a surface that is convex at least in sections, and wherein the focal point of the convex surface is located in the lens element.

4. The lighting module according to claim 1, wherein at least one lens element of at least one optical unit is a rotationally symmetric, spherical, or aspheric, collimating lens element.

5. The lighting module according to claim 1, wherein at least two lens elements of at least one optical unit are integrally connected to one another, at least in sections, and/or form a monolithic component of uniform material at least in sections.

6. The lighting module according to claim 1, wherein at least one reference mark on at least one optical unit is arranged on a light entry side or a planar light entry side.

7. The lighting module according to claim 1, wherein an opaque coating is arranged, at least in sections, on at least one optical unit on a light entry side or a planar light entry side.

8. The lighting module according to claim 1, wherein at least one light entry opening is provided in an opaque coating on at least one optical unit in order to permit an entry of light, in particular locally circumscribed entry, into the optical unit, preferably into at least one lens element of the optical unit.

9. The lighting module according to claim 1, wherein at least one projection module is provided, wherein the projection module comprises at least one lens element, and wherein the projection module is arranged, at least in sections, opposite a light emission side of at least one optical unit.

10. The lighting module according to claim 9, wherein at least one lens element of the projection module is a vertical or horizontal cylindrical lens.

11. The lighting module according to claim 9, wherein the projection module comprises at least one first lens element with a negative focal length and a second lens element with a positive focal length, wherein the first lens element is arranged opposite the second lens element, at least in sections, and wherein the first lens element and the second lens element are positioned relative to one another such that the focal point of the first lens element coincides with the focal point of the second lens element.

12. A lighting device, in particular headlamp, for a vehicle, comprising at least one lighting module according to claim 1.

13. A method for producing a lighting module for a lighting device for a vehicle, the lighting module comprising at least one light source unit, a first optical unit, a second optical unit, and at least one support element, the light source unit comprising at least one light source, at least one first reference mark being provided on the first optical unit and at least one second reference mark being provided on the second optical unit, the method comprising: attaching the first optical unit to the support element; attaching the second optical unit to the support element; detecting the first reference mark on the first optical unit; detecting the second reference mark on the second optical unit; determining a relative positional shift between the first reference mark and the second reference mark; determining at least one processing position on at least one optical unit; and processing at least one optical unit at least at one processing position.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the detecting of at least one reference mark is accomplished through an optical and/or tactile measurement of at least one optical unit.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein a laser machining of at least one optical unit takes place during the processing step.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

[0044] FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a lighting module according to the invention,

[0045] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a lighting module according to the invention,

[0046] FIG. 3 is a schematic rear view of a lighting module according to the invention,

[0047] FIG. 4 shows schematically a relative positional shift between two reference marks in a Cartesian coordinate system,

[0048] FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of a lighting module according to the invention,

[0049] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a vehicle with a lighting device according to the invention, and

[0050] FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of the method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] FIG. 1 shows a schematic front view of a lighting module 1 according to the invention. The direction of view is opposite the main direction of emission H of the lighting module and directed toward the light emission side 3.4 of the optical units 3. The lighting module comprises a first optical unit 3 and a second optical unit 3, wherein the first optical unit 3 as well as the second optical unit 3 each include three lens elements 3.2. Both optical units 3 are arranged on a support element 4 in a positionally fixed manner. In the present case, the support element 4 is designed as a frame, in particular full-perimeter frame. The lens elements 3.2 are rotationally symmetric in design, at least in sections. The lens elements 3.2 of the first optical unit 3 and the lens elements 3.2 of the second optical unit 3 are identical and are designed as aspheric collimating lens elements. The lens elements 3.2 are integrally connected, at least in sections, and form a monolithic component.

[0052] FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a lighting module 1 according to the invention. The direction of view is orthogonal to the main direction of emission H of the lighting module 1. The optical unit 3 has a light entry side 3.3 and a light emission side 3.4, wherein the light entry side 3.3 is arranged ahead of the light emission side 3.4 with respect to a main direction of emission H of the lighting module 1. The lens elements 3.2 have, on the light emission side 3.4, a surface that is convex at least in sections, wherein the focal point F of the convex surface is located in the lens element 3.2. Arranged opposite the light entry side 3.3 of the optical unit 3 is a light source unit 2, which comprises a light source 2.1, a printed circuit board 2.2, as well as a heat sink 2.3. The heat sink 2.3 is arranged on the printed circuit board 2.2 on the side of the printed circuit board 2.2 facing away from the lens element 3.2 and has multiple cooling fins (not shown) for efficient heat removal. The light source 2.1 in the present case is designed as an LED and is arranged on the printed circuit board 2.2 on the side of the printed circuit board 2.2 facing toward the lens element 3.2.

[0053] The lens elements 3.2 of the optical unit 3 each have, on the light emission side 3.4, a surface that is convex at least in sections, wherein the focal point F of the respective convex surface is located in the respective lens element 3.2. In the present case, the lens elements 3.2 are designed as rotationally symmetric collimating lens elements. The side of the lens elements 3.2 facing the light source unit 2 is planar in design, producing a planar light entry surface 3.3 of the optical unit 3.

[0054] FIG. 3 shows a schematic rear view of a lighting module 1 according to the invention. The direction of view is along the main direction of emission H of the lighting module and directed toward the light entry side 3.3 of the optical units 3. The light emission side 3.4 of the optical units 3 is provided with an opaque coating 3.5, wherein multiple light entry openings 3.6 are provided in the opaque coating 3.5 in each case. In other words, multiple apertures, through which light can enter into the optical units 3, are provided in the opaque coating 3.5. On each of the two optical units 3, a reference mark 3.1 is arranged on the light entry side 3.3 of the optical units 3, wherein the reference marks 3.1 are identical in design on both optical units 3. Arranged on each of the light entry openings 3.6 is a light source 2.1, wherein the light sources 2.1 are represented by dashed lines for reasons of clarity. The dashed lines correspond to the area of the light sources 2.1 projected in the main direction of emission. The projected areas of the light sources 2.1 overlap at least partially with the respective light entry openings 3.6. Provision is made in the present case that at least one edge of the respective light emission openings is located outside the projected area of the associated light source 2.1 in each case. The light entry sides 3.3 of the optical units 3 are planar in design and are arranged in a common plane that is orthogonal to the main direction of emission H.

[0055] FIG. 4 schematically shows a relative positional shift between two reference marks in a Cartesian coordinate system with the Cartesian coordinate directions X, Y, and Z. Each reference mark 3.1 is arranged on one optical unit, wherein the optical units are not shown for reasons of clarity. The light entry sides 3.3 of the optical units 3 that are not shown are planar in design and are arranged in the XY plane. The reference marks 3.1 are arranged on the respective light entry sides 3.3 of the optical units 3, and thus are likewise located in the same plane. A relative positional shift between the first and second positional shifts can be identified through detection of the location and orientation or rotation of the two reference marks in the common plane. The relative positional shift in the present case has a translational offset DX in the X direction, a translational offset DY in the Y direction, and a rotational offset DR (can be specified in angular degrees, for example) between the reference marks. The rotation of a reference mark 3.1 relates in the present case to a rotation about an axis of rotation oriented perpendicular to the XY plane (in the Z direction). The identified relative positional shift between at least two reference marks 3.1 can now be compared with a nominal value for the positional shift. On the basis of the deviation between the actual positional shift and the nominal positional shift, at least one processing position on at least one optical unit can subsequently be identified. It is thus possible for, e.g., light entry openings on at least one optical unit 3 to be positioned as a function of the relative positional shift between at least two optical units 3 in such a manner that a desired light pattern results from the interaction of all optical units 3.

[0056] FIG. 5 shows a schematic side view of an exemplary embodiment of a lighting module 1 according to the invention. The direction of view is orthogonal to the main direction of emission H of the lighting module 1. The lighting module additionally comprises a projection module 5, wherein the projection module comprises a first lens element 5.1 and a second lens element 5.1. Here, the lens element 5.1 that is arranged closer to the optical unit 3 with respect to the main direction of emission H has a positive focal length, and the lens element 5.1 that is arranged further from the optical unit 3 with respect to the main direction of emission H has a negative focal length. The two lens elements 5.1 are arranged opposite one another and are positioned relative to one another such that the focal point F of the first lens element 5.1 coincides with the focal point F of the second lens element 5.1.

[0057] FIG. 6 shows a vehicle with a lighting device (20) according to the invention, wherein the lighting device (20) is a headlamp of the vehicle, and the lighting device comprises at least one lighting module 1 according to the invention.

[0058] FIG. 7 shows a method 100 according to the invention for producing a lighting module 1 for use in a lighting device for a vehicle 10, comprising at least one light source unit 2, a first optical unit 3 and a second optical unit 3 as well as at least one support element 4, wherein the light source unit 2 comprises at least one light source 2.1 and wherein at least one first reference mark 3.1 is provided on the first optical unit 3 and at least one second reference mark 3.1 is provided on the second optical unit 3 and wherein at least the following steps are executed, for example in the specified order: Attaching 110 the first optical unit 3 to the support element 4; Attaching 120 the second optical unit 3 to the support element 4; Detecting 130 the first reference mark 3.1 on the first optical unit 3; Detecting 140 the second reference mark 3.1 on the second optical unit 3; Determining 150 a relative positional shift between the first reference mark 3.1 and the second reference mark 3.1; Determining 160 at least one processing position on at least one optical unit 3; and Processing 170 at least one optical unit 3 at least at one processing position.

[0059] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.