Vehicle sensing and/or lighting unit for a vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle unit, e.g., a vehicle headlamp, includes a cover lens formed of at least partially translucent material; a holder holding the cover lens; a heating wire embedded within the cover lens configured to heat the cover lens; and a connector for connecting the heating wire to a power source. The cover lens includes an operating section, for operable units (e.g., light modules) of the vehicle unit to engage with an environment outside of the vehicle unit, and a connecting section for mounting the cover lens onto the holder. The connecting section is substantially not visible to an outside observer of the vehicle unit. The heating wire is arranged in the operating and connecting sections. The cover lens includes a heat distributing element on the heating wire arranged to distribute heat homogenously over the connecting section to avoid hot spots in the heat distribution over the cover lens.

Claims

1. A vehicle unit (10) for a vehicle, in particular a vehicle sensing and/or lighting unit, the vehicle unit (10) comprising: a cover lens (100) formed of an at least partially translucent material, wherein the cover lens (100) comprises: an operating section (110), for operable units (600) of the vehicle unit (10) to engage with an environment outside of the vehicle unit (10), and a connecting section (120); a holder (200) for holding the cover lens (100), wherein the cover lens (100) is mounted on the holder (200) such that the connecting section (120) of the cover lens is substantially not visible for an outside observer of the vehicle unit (10); a heating wire (300) embedded within the cover lens (100) and configured to heat the cover lens (100), wherein the heating wire (300) is arranged in the operating section (110) and the connecting section (120); and a connector (400) for connecting the heating wire (300) to a power source, wherein the connecting section (120) is configured for electronically connecting the heating wire (300) to the connector (400), wherein the cover lens (100) comprises a heat distributing element (500), which is applied on the heating wire (300) arranged in the connecting section (120) in order to distribute heat in a homogenous way over the connecting section (120) in order to avoid heat hot spots in the heat distribution over the cover lens (100), and wherein the heat distributing element (500) is embedded within the cover lens (100).

2. The vehicle unit according to claim 1, wherein the cover lens (100) is built by over-molding the heating wire (300) and the heat distributing element (500) with a plastic material.

3. The vehicle unit according to claim 1, wherein the heat distributing element (500) is arranged on one side of the heating wire (300) or both sides of the heating wire (300).

4. The vehicle unit according to claim 1, wherein the heat distributing element (500) is configured as a metal plate or a metal foil.

5. The vehicle unit according to claim 4, wherein the metal is aluminum or copper.

6. The vehicle unit according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle unit (10) comprises a carrier substrate (310) onto which the heating wire (300) is mounted, wherein the heating wire (300) and the carrier substrate (310) are embedded within the cover lens (100).

7. The vehicle unit according to claim 1, wherein the heating wire (300) is coated with an insulated layer (320) at least in the connecting section (120).

8. The vehicle unit according to claim 7, wherein the insulating layer comprises a resin.

9. The vehicle unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least partially translucent material is plastic.

10. The vehicle unit according to claim 1, wherein the connector (400) is arranged on the connecting section (120) of the cover lens (100).

11. The vehicle unit according to claim 1, wherein the connection section (120) is configured for connecting the cover lens (100) onto the holder of the vehicle unit (10).

12. The vehicle unit according to claim 1, wherein the heat distributing element (500) is applied only on the heating wire (300).

13. The vehicle unit according to claim 1, wherein the operable units (600) comprise a light module.

14. The vehicle unit according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle unit is a vehicle headlamp.

15. A vehicle comprising at least one vehicle unit according to claim 1.

16. A vehicle comprising at least one vehicle unit according to claim 14.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) In the following, in order to further demonstrate the present invention, illustrative and non-restrictive embodiments are discussed, as shown in the drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic example of a vehicle headlamp, comprising a cover lens, a holder for the cover lens and a light module as an operable unit.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of the cover lens along line A-A in FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a further example of a vehicle unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows an example of a vehicle headlamp 10 for a vehicle, wherein the vehicle headlamp 10 comprises a cover lens 100 formed of an at least partially translucent material, which is in this example plastic.

(6) The cover lens 100 has an operating section 110, for operable units of the vehicle headlamp 10 to engage with an environment outside of the vehicle headlamp 10. In the present example, the vehicle headlamp 10 comprises a light module 600 as an operable unit.

(7) Further, the cover lens has a connecting section 120 for mounting the cover lens 100 onto a holder of the vehicle headlamp 10.

(8) The vehicle headlamp 10 comprises a holder 200 for holding the cover lens 100, wherein cover lens 100 is mounted on the holder 200 in a way that the connecting section 120 of the cover lens is substantially not visible for an outside observer of the vehicle headlamp 10, as can be seen in FIG. 1.

(9) Further, the vehicle headlamp 10 comprises a heating wire 300 and a carrier substrate 310 onto which the heating wire 300 is mounted, wherein the heating wire 300 and the carrier substrate 310 are embedded within the cover lens 100, wherein the heating wire 300 is configured to heat the cover lens 100, wherein the heating wire 300 is arranged in the operating section 110 and the connecting section 120.

(10) The cover lens 100 is built by over-molding the heating wire 300 and the heat distributing element 500 by plastic material. The over-molded parts 150 of the plastic material can be seen for example in FIG. 2.

(11) Further, the vehicle headlamp 10 comprises a connector 400 for connecting the heating wire 300 with a power source (not shown in the figures). The connector 400 is arranged on the connecting section 120 of the cover lens 100.

(12) Moreover, the cover lens 100 comprises a heat distributing element 500, which is applied only on the heating wire 300 arranged in the connecting section 120 in order to distribute heat in a homogenous way over the connecting section 120 in order to avoid heat hot spots in the heat distribution over the cover lens 100. The heat distributing element 500 extends to the connector 400, as can be seen in FIG. 1.

(13) The heat distributing element 500 is built as a metal foil in the shown example. However, it is possible that the heat distributing element 500 is built as a plate, preferably a metal plate. The metal of the metal foil is aluminum or copper. The heat distributing element 500 is adhered to the heating wire 300 and also embedded within the cover lens 100.

(14) Further, the heating wire 300 is coated with an insulated layer 320 in the connecting section 120, as can be seen in FIG. 2. The insulating layer 320 is built as resin.

(15) Further, as can be seen in FIG. 2, the heat distributing element 500 is arranged on both sides of the heating wire 300, meaning that the heat distributing element 500 is arranged in the side where the heating wire 300 is arranged and on the opposite side where the carrier substrate 310 is arranged.

(16) FIG. 3 shows a further example of a vehicle unit with the same features of the vehicle headlamp 10 of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The above to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 applies to the features with the same reference signs in FIG. 3.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

(17) Vehicle headlamp . . . 10 Cover lens . . . 100 Operating section . . . 110 Connecting section . . . 120 Over-molded parts . . . 150 Holder . . . 200 Heating wire . . . 300 Carrier substrate . . . 310 Insulated layer . . . 320 Connector . . . 400 Heat distributing element . . . 500 Operable unit . . . 600