LIGHT MODULE WITH MEANS FOR ADJUSTMENT BETWEEN A LIGHT SOURCE AND AN OPTICAL ELEMENT

Abstract

A light module for a lighting device of a vehicle, in particular for a headlamp, having a light source and an optical element which is accommodated on a support body, and wherein an adjuster is provided for adjusting the optical element to the light source in order to adjust a radiation position of the light source relative to the optical element. The adjuster has a wedge element, which is arranged movably between the support body and the optical element so that when the wedge element is shifted an adjustment of the optical element to the light source can be produced at least in a vertical direction.

Claims

1. A light module for a lighting device of a vehicle or a headlamp, the light module comprising: a light source; an optical element that is accommodated on a support body; and an adjuster to adjust the optical element with respect to the light source to adjust a radiation position of the light source relative to the optical element, the adjuster comprising a wedge element that is arranged movably between the support body and the optical element so that when the wedge element is shifted, an adjustment of the optical element relative to the light source is made at least in a vertical direction.

2. The light module according to claim 1, wherein the wedge element has an obliquely formed wedge surface, and wherein the support body has an obliquely formed bearing surface corresponding to the wedge surface, and wherein the wedge surface bears against the bearing surface and slides on it when the wedge element is shifted.

3. The light module according to claim 1, wherein the adjuster comprises a first eccentric element with an eccentric for shifting the wedge element in relation to the support body, and wherein the first eccentric element is arranged in an operative connection with the support body and with the wedge element.

4. The light module according to claim 1, wherein at least one guide element is formed between the support body and the wedge element, wherein at least the wedge element is guided in a longitudinal direction above the support body via the guide element.

5. The light module according to claim 1, wherein the optical element is adapted to be shifted relative to the support body so that the optical element slides over the wedge element with a base surface formed thereon.

6. The light module according to claim 1, wherein the adjuster comprises a second eccentric element with an eccentric for shifting the optical element in relation to the support body, and wherein the second eccentric element is arranged in an operative connection with the support body and with the optical element.

7. The light module according to claim 6, wherein the second eccentric element passes through the wedge element.

8. The light module according to claim 1, wherein the optical element is guided in a longitudinal direction above the support body or above the wedge element via the at least one guide element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] 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:

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a flying view of a light module with an optical element above a light source, a support body, and an adjuster for adjustment;

[0017] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a support body and a wedge element;

[0018] FIG. 3 shows the arrangement of the support body and the wedge element according to FIG. 2, wherein an optical element is additionally shown;

[0019] FIG. 4a shows a side view of the light module with a wedge element in a first position; and

[0020] FIG. 4b shows a view of the light module with a wedge element which has been pushed further into the region between the optical element and the support body, as compared with the position in FIG. 4a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] FIG. 1 shows, in a flying view, a light module 1 with a light source 10, with an optical element 11, with a support body 12, and with an adjuster 13 for adjusting optical element 11 above support body 12. A first eccentric element 15 with an eccentric 16 and a second eccentric element 18 with an eccentric 19 are also shown.

[0022] Optical element 11 has a reflector 20 and a base section 21, wherein optical element 11 can also have, for example, a lens or a lens system, a light-conducting body, or the like. The adjuster 13 described below for the adjustment of optical element 11 above support body 12 enable an adjustment in the illustrated vertical direction Z and, independently of this, an adjustment in the illustrated longitudinal direction X, wherein there remain further possibilities for an adjustment, for example, in a transverse direction Y, by the adjuster 13 for adjustment.

[0023] The adjuster 13 for adjustment comprise a wedge element 14 having a wedge surface 14a, which is brought into contact with a bearing surface 12a on support body 12. With respect to a horizontally extending longitudinal direction X, bearing surface 12a has an inclination corresponding to an inclination of wedge surface 14a. If wedge element 14 is placed on support body 12 and shifted in the longitudinal direction X, thus the height of a mounting surface 14b on wedge element 14 changes but without tilting, wherein mounting surface 14b is formed opposite to bearing surface 14a and points in the vertical direction Z. If optical element 11 has a base surface 11a of base section 21 on mounting surface 14b and wedge element 14 is shifted in the longitudinal direction X, the height position of optical element 11 above support body 12 changes without tilting. Light source 10 can be accommodated on support body 12, and support body 12 can form a heat sink. As a result of the shifting of optical element 11 in the vertical direction Z, reflector 20 also shifts above light source 10 so that the shifting of reflector 20 above light source 10 can be adjusted by this shifting.

[0024] Guide elements 17 are disposed on support body 12 in the form of cylindrical pins which point with their cylinder axis in the vertical direction Z. Wedge element 14 has elongated holes 22, and guide elements 17 pass through elongated holes 22 when wedge element 14 is placed on support body 12. Due to the formation of elongated holes 22 with a longitudinal extension in the longitudinal direction X, a guidance is achieved when wedge element 14 is shifted so that wedge element 14 is moved guided on support body 12.

[0025] First eccentric element 15, which is accommodated with a cylindrical section 23 in a bore 24 in support body 12, is used to shift wedge element 14 on support body 12. Eccentric 16, however, is accommodated in an eccentric seat 25, which is introduced in wedge element 14. If first eccentric element 15 is rotated, cylindrical section 23 can rotate in bore 24 about a spatially fixed axis in the vertical direction Z, and eccentric 16 rotates in eccentric seat 25, with wedge element 14 being shifted in the longitudinal direction X. Thus, first eccentric element 15 forms an operative connection between support body 12 and wedge element 14, eccentric 16 being accommodated in eccentric seat 25 in such a way that eccentric 16 does not protrude above mounting surface 14b of wedge element 14.

[0026] Second eccentric element 18 with eccentric 19 also has a cylindrical section 26 with which second eccentric element 18 is inserted in a bore 27 in support body 12. Thus, second eccentric element 18 as well can be rotated in an axis in the vertical direction Z. Eccentric 19 is accommodated in an eccentric seat 28, which is introduced into base section 21 of optical element 11. If second eccentric element 18 is rotated, the cam contour of eccentric 19 travels along the inner contour of eccentric seat 28 and shifts optical element 11 in the longitudinal direction X, regardless of the position of wedge element 14. In order to avoid an interaction between second eccentric element 18 and wedge element 14, wedge element 14 has a through-opening 29 through which cylindrical section 26 of second eccentric element 18 extends without creating an interaction with wedge element 14.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of support body 12 on which wedge element 14 is placed. The view shows the passing of guide elements 17 through elongated holes 22, wherein by way of example only guide elements 17 are located on support body 12, and elongated holes 22 are introduced in wedge element 14. Alternatively, guide elements 17 can be mounted on wedge element 14, whereas elongated holes 22 are formed on support body 12. First eccentric element 15 is shown disposed between support body 12 and wedge element 14, and it can be seen that eccentric 16 sits in eccentric seat 25.

[0028] If first eccentric element 15 is rotated, eccentric 16 moves in eccentric seat 25 so that a shifting of wedge element 14 on support body 12 is produced in the longitudinal direction X.

[0029] FIG. 3 shows the further arrangement of optical element 11 on wedge element 14 and second eccentric element 18 is inserted in eccentric seat 28 in optical element 11. If second eccentric element 18 is rotated, for example, with a tool which is inserted in the indicated cross slot on the top side in second eccentric element 18, eccentric 19 travels in eccentric seat 28 and optical element 11 can be shifted in the longitudinal direction X in relation to support body 12, without wedge element 14 being shifted.

[0030] A shifting of optical element 11 in the vertical direction Z relative to light source 10 can be produced as a result with the first eccentric element (concealed), whereas second eccentric element 18 produces a shift of optical element 11 in the longitudinal direction X in relation to light source 10. Light source 10 can be accommodated on support body 12 and support body 12 can form a heat sink, for example.

[0031] FIGS. 4a and 4b show a side view of support body 12, wedge element 14, and optical element 11, wedge element 14 being located between support body 12 and optical element 11. In this case, wedge surface 14a of wedge element 14 bears against bearing surface 12a of support body 12, and mounting surface 14b of wedge element 14 bears against base surface 11a of optical element 11. Shown furthermore are guide elements 17 for guiding wedge element 14 and optical element 11 in the longitudinal direction X shown.

[0032] If wedge element 14 is shifted in the longitudinal direction X, wedge element 14 can be brought from the position shown in FIG. 4a to the position shown in FIG. 4b. A shifting of optical element 11 in the vertical direction Z is produced by the inclination of bearing surface 12a and wedge surface 14a, wherein the shifting of wedge element 14 is produced by means of first eccentric element 15, as described in connection with the preceding figures.

[0033] If a shifting in the longitudinal direction X is to be produced in addition to and independently of the shifting of optical element 11 in the vertical direction Z, second eccentric element 18 can be rotated about the vertical direction Z so that optical element 11 is shifted independently of the position of wedge element 14 in longitudinal direction X. In this case, base surface 11a slides on mounting surface 14b of wedge element 14.

[0034] 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.