VEHICLE LIGHTS, IN PARTICULAR MOTOR VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS

Abstract

Vehicle light (1), in particular motor vehicle headlight (6), comprising a number of light sources (2), a circuit carrier (3) having a front side (3a) and a rear side (3b), wherein the light sources (2) are arranged on the front side (3a) of the circuit carrier (3), a heat sink (4), wherein the heat sink (4) is attached flatly to the rear side (3b) of the circuit carrier (3), and a fan (5) fastened to the heat sink (4), wherein the heat sink (4) has a base body (4a) for flat contact with the rear side (3b) of the circuit carrier (3), a flange (4b) for receiving the fan (5), and an air duct (4c), wherein the flange (4b) encloses an air inlet opening (4d) opening into the air duct (4c), which is designed to receive an air flow (L) generated by the fan (5), wherein the air duct (4c) extends up to an air outlet opening (4e), wherein the heat sink (4) is formed in one piece from 3D-printed material.

Claims

1. A vehicle light (1), in particular a motor vehicle headlight (6), comprising a number of light sources (2), a circuit carrier (3) having a front side (3a) and a rear side (3b), wherein the light sources (2) are arranged on the front side (3a) of the circuit carrier (3), a heat sink (4), wherein the heat sink (4) is attached flatly to the rear side (3b) of the circuit carrier (3), and a fan (5) fastened on the heat sink (4), characterized in that the heat sink (4) has *a base body (4a) for the planar contacting of the rear side (3b) of the circuit carrier (3), *a flange (4b) to receive the fan (5), *and an air duct (4c), wherein the flange (4b) encloses an air inlet opening (4d) opening into the air duct (4c), which is designed to receive an air flow (L) generated by the fan (5), wherein the air duct (4c) extends up to an air outlet opening (4e), wherein the heat sink (4) is formed in one piece from 3D-printed material.

2. The vehicle light (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air outlet opening (4e) is designed such that the flow direction of the air (La) flowing out through the air outlet opening (4e) is inclined at an angle () of at most 45 with respect to an incident flow angle of the air (Le) flowing in through the air inlet opening (4d).

3. The vehicle light (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air duct (4c) is designed such that it tapers continuously in the direction of the base body (4a) starting from the air inlet opening (4d) toward the air outlet opening (4e), wherein it is provided in particular that the cross section of the air duct (4c) decreases continuously starting from the air inlet opening (4d) toward the air outlet opening (4e).

4. The vehicle light (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein an inner housing (7) engages at the air outlet opening (4e), which inner housing mounts a projection lens (8) arranged downstream from the circuit carrier (3) for manipulating the light distribution emitted by the light sources (2), wherein the inner housing (7) is enclosed by an outer housing (9), wherein the outer housing (9) has a translucent cover plate (9a) arranged downstream from the projection lens (8), wherein the inner housing (7) has an inner housing air duct (7a) which is configured to direct an air flow (L) received through the air outlet opening (4e) in the direction of the cover plate (9a).

5. The vehicle light (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein cooling structural elements (10) are provided within the air duct (4c), which extend starting from a duct inner wall (4c) and/or the base body (4a) within the air duct (4c).

6. The vehicle light (1) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the cooling structural elements (10, 10a, 10b, 10c) * are cooling fins (10a) extending parallel to a longitudinal extent of the air duct (4c), and/or * are pins (10b).

7. The vehicle light (1) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the cooling structural elements (10, 10a, 10b, 10c) are asymmetrical, irregularly arranged structures (10c).

8. The vehicle light (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base body (4a) has a flat area (4a), wherein the flange (4b) of the heat sink (4) is designed such that a fan (5) mounted flat on the flange (4b) is inclined obliquely with respect to the flat area (4a) of the base body (4a).

9. The vehicle light (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the position of the air inlet opening (4d) and the inclination of the fan (5) with respect to the base body (4a) can be selected such that an air flow (L) after entering the air inlet opening (4d), without additional deflection, hits at least a section of that area of the base body (4a) or of cooling structural elements (10) protruding therefrom which is directly opposite to the light sources (2).

10. The vehicle light (1) as claimed in claim 9, wherein said section comprises the area directly opposite to the highest concentration of light sources (2).

11. The vehicle light (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light sources (2) are flatly distributed on the front side (3a) of the circuit carrier (3), wherein the heat sink (4) is arranged on the opposite surface of the rear side (3b) of the circuit carrier (3), in such a way that a normal projection of the base body (4) onto the front side (3a) covers at least 70%, preferably at least 80% of the area formed by a virtual polygon whose corner points are formed by light sources (2), in such a way that all light sources (2) that do not form corner points of the polygon lie within the polygon.

12. The vehicle light (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in order to increase the heat transfer from the front side (3a) to the rear side (3b) of the circuit carrier (3), heat transfer means (11) are provided which penetrate the circuit carrier (3) from its front side (3a) to its rear side (3b).

13. The vehicle light (1) as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least some of the heat transfer means (11) can be designed as VIAS (11a), which are preferably filled with heat-conducting material and are particularly preferably arranged in direct proximity to the light sources (2).

14. The vehicle light (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat sink (5) consists of an aluminum alloy.

15. The vehicle light (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base body (4a) has integrally formed fastening means (4f) which are prepared for detachable connection to the circuit carrier (3) or a housing (7) engaging on the circuit carrier (3).

16. A motor vehicle headlight (6), comprising a vehicle light (1) as claimed in claim 1.

Description

[0025] The invention is explained in more detail hereinafter on the basis of an exemplary and nonrestrictive embodiment illustrated in the figures. In the figures:

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a vehicle light according to the invention,

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a heat sink including fan according to FIG. 1,

[0028] FIG. 3a shows a view of the top of the heat sink excluding fan according to FIG. 2,

[0029] FIG. 3a2 shows an indication of a section through FIG. 3a,

[0030] FIG. 3b shows a sectional view corresponding to the indicated section according to FIG. 3a2,

[0031] FIG. 4 shows a view of the top of the heat sink including fan,

[0032] FIG. 5 shows an oblique view of the vehicle light according to FIG. 1 including an inner housing 7,

[0033] FIG. 6 shows an oblique view of the vehicle light according to FIG. 5 including a projection lens,

[0034] FIG. 7 shows a side view of the vehicle light according to FIG. 6 integrated into an outer housing including a translucent cover plate, so that a vehicle headlight is obtained, and

[0035] FIGS. 8 to 10 show details of exemplary designs of cooling pins and structures.

[0036] In the following figures, unless otherwise indicated, the same reference signs denote the same features.

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a vehicle light 1 according to the invention, The vehicle light 1 can be designed as part of a motor vehicle headlight 6 (see FIG. 7) and comprises a number of light sources 2, a circuit carrier 3 having a front side 3a and a rear side 3b, wherein the light sources 2 are arranged on the front side 3a of the circuit carrier 3, a heat sink 4, wherein the heat sink 4 is attached flatly to the rear side 3b of the circuit carrier 3, and a fan 5 fastened to the heat sink 4.

[0038] With regard to FIG. 2, as well as 3a, 3a2, and 3b, it should be mentioned that the heat sink 4 has a base body 4a for the planar contacting of the rear side 3b of the circuit carrier 3, a flange 4b for receiving the fan 5, and an air duct 4c. The flange 4b encloses an air inlet opening 4d which opens into the air duct 4c and is designed to receive an air flow L generated by the fan 5. The air duct 4c extends to an air outlet opening 4e, wherein the heat sink 4 is formed in one piece from 3D printed material.

[0039] The air duct 4c can be designed such that it tapers continuously in the direction of the base body 4a starting from the air inlet opening 4d toward the air outlet opening 4e, wherein it is provided in particular that the cross section of the air duct 4c decreases continuously starting from the air inlet opening 4d toward the air outlet opening 4e.

[0040] Cooling structural elements 10 are provided within the air duct 4c, which extend starting from an inner duct wall 4c and/or the base body 4a within the air duct 4c. In FIGS. 3a to 3b, cooling structural elements 10 in the form of cooling fins 10a are shown as examples, which extend parallel to a longitudinal extension of the air duct 4c. FIGS. 8 to 10, however, show pins 10b and asymmetric, irregularly arranged structures 10c.

[0041] With respect to FIG. 1, it is to be noted that the air outlet opening 4e is designed such that the flow direction of the air La flowing out through the air outlet opening 4e is inclined at an angle of at most 45 with respect to an incident flow angle of the air Le flowing in through the air inlet opening 4d. The base body 4a preferably has a flat area 4a, wherein the flange 4b of the heat sink 4 is designed such that a fan 5 mounted flat on the flange 4b is inclined obliquely with respect to the flat area 4a of the base body 4a.

[0042] The position of the air inlet opening 4d and the inclination of the fan 5 with respect to the base body 4a can be selected such that an air flow L after entering the air inlet opening 4d, without additional deflection, hits at least a section of that area of the base body 4a or of cooling structural elements 10 protruding therefrom which is directly opposite to the light sources 2. In particular, it can be provided that this area comprises a center of gravity of a polygon formed by the outermost LEDs. Preferably, all LEDs can also be captured thermally. Furthermore, it may be provided that said section comprises the area directly opposite to the highest concentration of light sources 2.

[0043] Preferably, the light sources 2 are flatly distributed on the front side 3a of the circuit carrier 3, wherein the heat sink 4 is arranged on the opposite surface of the rear side 3b of the circuit carrier 3, in such a way that a normal projection of the base body 4 onto the front side 3a covers at least 70%, preferably at least 80% of the area formed by a virtual polygon whose corner points are formed by light sources 2, in such a way that all light sources 2 that do not form corner points of the polygon lie within the polygon.

[0044] To increase the heat transfer from the front side 3a to the rear side 3b of the circuit carrier 3, heat transfer means 11 can be provided which pass through the circuit carrier 3 from its front side 3a to its rear side 3b. At least some of the heat transfer means 11 can be designed as VIAS 11a, which are preferably filled with heat-conducting material and are particularly preferably arranged in direct proximity to the light sources 2.

[0045] FIG. 4 shows a view of the upper side of the heat sink 4 including the fan 5. It can be seen therein that the base body 4a can have integrally formed fastening means 4f which are prepared for detachable connection to the circuit carrier 3 or a housing 7 engaging on the circuit carrier 3.

[0046] FIG. 5 shows an oblique view of the vehicle light 1 according to FIG. 1 including an inner housing 7. FIG. 6 shows an oblique view of the vehicle light 1 according to FIG. 5 including a projection lens 8.

[0047] FIG. 7 shows a side view of the vehicle light according to FIG. 6 integrated into an outer housing including a translucent cover plate, so that a vehicle headlight is obtained. An inner housing 7 engages on the air outlet opening 4e, which mounts a projection lens 8 arranged downstream from the circuit carrier 3 for manipulating the light distribution emitted by the light sources 2. The inner housing 7 is enclosed by an outer housing 9. This has a translucent cover plate 9a arranged downstream of the projection lens 8, wherein the inner housing 7 has an inner housing air duct 7a which is designed to direct an air flow L received through the air outlet opening 4e in the direction of the cover plate 9a.

[0048] FIGS. 8 to 10 show details of exemplary designs of cooling pins 10b and cooling structures 10c.

[0049] The heat sink 5 preferably consists of an aluminum alloy.

[0050] The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown, but is defined by the entire scope of protection of the claims. Individual aspects of the invention or of the embodiments can also be taken up and combined with one another. Any reference signs in the claims are exemplary and serve only for the easier readability of the claims without restricting them.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0051] 1 vehicle light [0052] 2 light source [0053] 3 circuit carrier [0054] 3a front side of circuit carrier [0055] 3b rear side of circuit carrier [0056] 4 heat sink [0057] 4a base body of heat sink [0058] 4b flange of heat sink [0059] 4c air duct [0060] 4d air inlet opening [0061] 4e air outlet opening [0062] 4f fastening means [0063] 5 fan [0064] 6 motor vehicle headlight [0065] 7 inner housing [0066] 8 projection lens [0067] 9 outer housing [0068] 9a translucent cover plate [0069] 10 cooling structural elements [0070] 10a cooling fins (cooling structural elements) [0071] 10b pins (cooling structural elements) [0072] 10c asymmetric, irregularly arranged projections (cooling structural elements) [0073] 11 heat transfer means [0074] 11a VIAS (heat transfer means) [0075] L air flow [0076] La outflowing air [0077] Le inflowing air [0078] angle of inflowing air/outflowing air