Motor vehicle lighting and/or signalling device

Abstract

An optical module for a motor vehicle lighting and/or signaling device, having an optical deflection element, a support to which the optical deflection element is fixed, the support comprises adapter fixing means capable of fixing an adapter to which a light source is fixed, and wherein the first optical deflection element comprises adapter indexing means arranged so as to be capable of positioning this adapter relative to the first optical deflection element on two separate intersecting axes.

Claims

1. An adapter of a light source, comprising: at least one light source; a support block on which said at least one light source is directly or indirectly fixed, said support block being a radiator comprising fins and being arranged to dissipate the heat given off by said at least one light source; and fixing means for fixing said adapter to an element; wherein said fixing means comprises a metal rod pivotally coupled to at least one of said element or said adapter; wherein said adapter comprises a printed circuit board to which said at least one light source is fixed and connected.

2. The adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said metal rod is pivotally mounted at one end on said adapter, said metal rod further comprising a fixing part to be fixed to said element, said metal rod being arranged to allow compression fixing of said adapter to said element.

3. The adapter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pivot comprises a through hole in which an end of said metal rod is freely rotatable.

4. The adapter as claimed in claim 2, wherein said pivot is arranged on at least one of a fin of said adapter or a projecting part separate from the fins of said adapter.

5. The adapter as claimed in claim 2, wherein said metal rod comprises a gripping portion in the form of a loop intended to be gripped to allow said metal rod to be unhooked or unlatched from a mating hook.

6. The adapter as claimed in claim 2, in which said metal rod is in the form of a loop articulated on one side and with a portion suitable for cooperating with a notch on said support.

7. The adapter as claimed in claim 1, comprising a connector connected to said at least one light source and suitable for being connected to an electrical power source to power said at least one light source.

8. An optical module for a motor vehicle lighting and/or signaling device, comprising: a first optical deflection element; a support of said first optical deflection element, said first optical deflection element being fixed to said support; wherein said optical module comprises adapter fixing means; and an adapter being adapted to be fixed to said support of said first optical deflection element via said adapter fixing means; wherein said adapter fixing means comprises a metal rod pivotally coupled to at least one of said support or said adapter; wherein said adapter comprises a printed circuit board to which at least one light source is fixed and connected.

9. The optical module as claimed in claim 8, wherein said support comprises a toothlike projecting part housed between two fins of the adapter.

10. The optical module as claimed in claim 8, wherein said support comprises a toothlike projecting part, and said metal rod enabling said adapter to be fixed to said adapter fixing means, said toothlike projecting part comprising the articulation of said metal rod.

11. The optical module as claimed in claim 8, wherein said metal rod is articulated at one end to said support, and an attachment part of said metal rod is attached to said adapter fixing means formed by said support, said metal rod comprising a pressing portion situated between said articulated end and said attachment part, said pressing portion bearing against said adapter, so as to press the latter against said support.

12. The optical module as claimed in claim 7, wherein said adapter has contact surfaces pressed into direct or indirect contact with contact surfaces of said support.

13. The optical module as claimed in claim 7, comprising a compressible and thermally conductive element, notably a charged silicone, situated between contact surfaces of said adapter.

14. The optical module as claimed in claim 7, wherein contact surfaces of said adapter are in direct or indirect thermal contact such that said adapter and said support of an optical deflection element form a single heat dissipater.

15. The optical module as claimed in claim 14, wherein said single heat dissipater comprises fins situated on said adapter, and said fins on said support.

16. The optical module as claimed in claim 8, wherein said adapter fixing means comprising said metal rod, which is pivoted at one end on said adapter, said metal rod further comprising a fixing part to be fixed to an element, said metal rod being arranged to allow compression fixing of said adapter to said element.

17. The optical module as claimed in claim 8, wherein said support comprises: an opening facing said optical deflection element; guide fins on either side of said opening, notably parallel with one another; and bearing surfaces between said opening and said guide fins said guide fins being arranged so as to allow a block having a width close to the distance between said guide fins to be guided in order to position it in contact with said bearing surfaces.

18. The adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one light source is a light emitting diode.

19. The optical module as claimed in claim 9, wherein said adapter comprises said metal rod pivotally coupled to said adapter and enabling said adapter to be fixed to said support.

20. The adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fixing means comprises said metal rod pivotally mounted on said element and adapted to pivot to allow compression fixing of said adapter to said element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

(1) Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be made clear by the following detailed description, the comprehension of which will be facilitated by reference to the attached drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an optical module with its adapter according to a first embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a view of the subject of FIG. 1, but taken from the rear;

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the optical module of FIG. 1 without its adapter;

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the adapter of FIG. 1 without the optical module;

(6) FIG. 5 shows the mounting of the adapter of FIG. 4 in the module of FIG. 3;

(7) FIG. 6 is an enlargement of part of the illustration of FIG. 5, seen from another angle;

(8) FIG. 6′ is a schematic cross section showing the indexing area of the adapter in the optical module according to the first embodiment;

(9) FIG. 7 is a perspective rear view of an optical module with its adapter, pre-fixed in the replacement position according to a second embodiment of the invention;

(10) FIG. 8 is a zoom view of FIG. 7, but with the adapter fixed in the operating position;

(11) FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of an optical module with its adapter according to a third embodiment of the invention;

(12) FIG. 10 is a schematic representation of a possible arrangement of the connectors of the optical module and of the adapter according to the invention;

(13) FIG. 11 is a schematic representation of a connection of the optical module to the adapter according to the invention; and

(14) FIG. 12 is a schematic representation of a variant connection of the optical module to the adapter according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(15) The various elements appearing in more than one figure are given the same reference numerals, unless stated otherwise. Elements appearing in more than one figure will not be newly described in full or mentioned for every figure.

(16) FIGS. 1 to 12 show three embodiments according to the invention. These illustrations are exemplary embodiments.

(17) The optical module 10, 110 and 210 for a motor vehicle lighting and/or signaling device according to the invention comprises:

(18) a first optical deflection element 12, which in the case of these examples is a reflector 12,

(19) a support 20, 120 and 220 of the reflector 12, the reflector 12 being fixed to the support 20, 120 and 220, wherein the support 20, 120 and 220 comprises adapter fixing means 26, 126 and 226 capable of fixing an adapter to which a light source is fixed, or of receiving a fixing element of this adapter, and wherein the reflector 12 comprises adapter indexing means 61, 62 arranged so as to be capable of positioning this adapter relative to the reflector 12 according to two separate intersecting axes X, Y.

(20) According to these embodiments, the indexing means 61, 62, shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 are studs 61, 62.

(21) The support 20, 120 and 220 is a heat sink, and comprises:

(22) a material capable of conducting heat,

(23) contact surfaces 66 comprising part of this material, such as to transmit the heat of an element that may be in contact with the contact surfaces, for example the contact surfaces 76 of the adapter 70 shown in FIG. 4.

(24) In general, the support 20, 120 and 220 may be a monolithic material, for example by being made of one piece of material. It may essentially consist of the material capable of conducting heat. The material capable of conducting heat may be metal, notably aluminum.

(25) As illustrated, the support 20, 120 and 220 comprises rear fins 24 and 25, or 124 and 125, located at the rear of the support 20, 120 and 220 and behind the optical deflection element 12 relative to the direction of propagation R along which the optical deflection element 12 is intended to deflect the rays. The direction of propagation R is shown in FIG. 1 only, but is the same in the various figures. This support 20, 120 and 220 therefore forms a finned radiator 24 and 25, or 124 and 125.

(26) The support 20, 120 and 220 comprises:

(27) an opening 29 facing the optical deflection element 12, visible in FIG. 3,

(28) guide fins 23, 123 on either side of this opening 29, notably parallel with one another,

(29) bearing surfaces 66 between this opening 29 and these guide fins 23, 123, the guide fins 23, 123 being arranged so as to allow the adapter 70, 170, 270 to be guided in order to position it in contact with these bearing surfaces 66.

(30) In fact, as can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the adapter 70, 170, 270 according to the invention has a width less than, but close to, the distance between these guide fins 23, 123, which facilitates guiding and positioning during the replacement of the adapter 70, 170, 270.

(31) According to the illustrated examples, these bearing surfaces 66 are the contact surfaces. Consequently they have the double function of providing thermal and mechanical contact.

(32) In these examples, the optical module is a lighting module, for example in order to provide an illuminating beam, for example a low beam.

(33) The adapter 70, 170, 270 is designed at the position of the opening 29 in such a way that the light source 13 fixed above has its general direction of emission orientated toward the concavity of the reflector 12. The latter reflects the light rays emitted by the light source 13 along the direction of propagation R, parallel to the longitudinal axis X, in the illustrated examples, the direction of propagation R parallel to the longitudinal axis X defining the forward direction in this case. The light source 13 provides downward illumination.

(34) The support 20, 120 and 220 comprises in this case two plates joined in the general shape of an “L”, at about 90° for example, and comprises:

(35) on a first branch of the L-shape located behind the module, the rear fins 24 and 25, 124 and 125,

(36) on a second branch of the L-shape, the guide fins 23.

(37) The second branch may comprise other fins which are not shown.

(38) The rear fins 25, 125 comprise a discontinuity 25a, 125a arranged so as to form a space free of fins 27, 127, in which is located at least a part of the adapter fixing means 26, 126, 226, in this case pairs of toothlike lugs. Each lug comprises at least one indentation capable of receiving a metal fixing rod 90, 190, 290 of the adapter 70, 170, 270.

(39) In these exemplary embodiments, the adapter 70; 170; 270 of the light source 13 comprises:

(40) at least one light source 13,

(41) a printed circuit 80, to which the light source 13 is fixed and connected,

(42) complementary fixing means or rod 90, 177 or 277, capable of enabling the adapter 70, 170, 270 to be fixed,

(43) complementary indexing means 71, 72 formed on the printed circuit 80, arranged so that, when an element is positioned on the optical module relative to these complementary indexing means 71, 72, the adapter 70, 170, 270 is positioned relative to this element on two separate intersecting axes, in this case the longitudinal axis X and the transverse axis Y.

(44) These complementary indexing means are apertures 71, 72, particularly holes passing through the printed circuit 80 from one side to the other.

(45) The adapter 70, 170, 270 of the light source 13 comprises a support unit 73 to which the printed circuit 80, and therefore indirectly the light source 13, is fixed and connected.

(46) As can be seen more precisely in FIG. 4, the light source 13 is an LED comprising a substrate 15 fixed to the printed circuit 80, by electrodes for example. The substrate 15 carries a photoemissive semiconductor element 14.

(47) The support unit 73 is a radiator comprising:

(48) fins 75, 175 and 275, and being arranged to dissipate the heat given off by this light source,

(49) complementary fixing means 90, 177 or 277, capable of enabling the adapter 70, 170, 270 to be fixed.

(50) According to the invention, in general the adapter 70, 170, 270 or the support may carry a pivoted metal rod 90, 190, 290 which is made to be attached to or pressed against the support or the adapter 70, 170, 270 respectively.

(51) Thus, according to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the fins 75 of the edges of the adapter 70 comprise a hole 64 (FIG. 4) through which the end 93 of a rod 90 passes. The end 93 of the metal rod 90 is freely rotatable in this hole 64, so as to form a pivot of the rod 90 on these two fins 75. The rod 90 is made in the shape of a loop which is not closed. Two ends 93 are therefore pivoted. The loop can thus swing downward to be attached to the adapter fixing lugs 26 formed on the support 20, the attached portion of the loop thus forming a fixing part 91.

(52) The support 73 comprises a toothlike projecting guiding and retaining part 22 (FIGS. 1, 3 and 5).

(53) As shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 6′, when the adapter 70 is placed in module 10, the adapter 70 slides on the contact surfaces 66 of the support 20, being guided transversely by the guide fins 23 of the support 20. It will slide until it is blocked by the projecting lug 22, which becomes housed between two fins 75 of the adapter 70, thus completing the guiding. The adapter 70 can then be lowered so that its contact surfaces 76, located on either side of the printed circuit, come into contact with the contact surfaces 66 of the module.

(54) The studs 61, 62 will enter the through holes 71, 72, and index the LED 13 relative to the reflector 12, notably at the position of its focus.

(55) As can be seen in FIG. 6′, the support unit comprises cavities 74 facing the through holes 71, each through hole opening entirely into its own cavity 74. The studs 71 pass through the printed circuit into these cavities. Consequently they do not have to be designed exactly to match the size of the holes in the printed circuit.

(56) When the adapter 70 has been positioned and pressed against the support 20, the rod 90 is lowered toward the rear branch of the L-shape of the support 20, and becomes attached to the adapter fixing lugs 26.

(57) The adapter 70 is thus kept pressed against the support 20 by the rod 90 on the one hand, and by the lug 22 on the other hand.

(58) In the other embodiments, the principle of the mounting of the adapter 170, 270 is generally the same, but with the differences described below.

(59) The metal rod 190, 290 is pivoted at one end on the support 120, 220, the rod further comprising a pressing part 195, 295, to be fixed by pressing to the adapter 170, 270, the rod 190, 290 being arranged to allow compression fixing of the adapter 170, 270 to the module, by bearing on the bearing surfaces 177, 277 of the adapter 170, 270.

(60) In the second embodiment, the through hole in which the end 193 of the rod 190, 290 is pivoted is arranged on a fin 123 (FIG. 7) of the support 120 of the reflector 12.

(61) In the third embodiment, the through hole in which the end 293 of the rod 190, 290 is pivoted is arranged on a projecting part 222 (FIG. 9) separate from the fins 123.

(62) In these various embodiments, the metal rod 90, 190, 290 comprises an attachment part 91, 191, 291 that is made to interact with an indentation 26a, 126a, 226a of the adapter fixing means 26, 126, 226.

(63) The metal rod 90, 190, 290 comprises a graspable portion 94, 194, 294 in the form of a loop intended to be gripped to enable the rod 90, 190, 290 to be detached from the adapter fixing means 26, 126, 226, for example by being grasped by an operator's finger.

(64) In the second embodiment and in the third embodiment, the pressing portion 195, 295 is located between the attachment part 191, 291 and the pivoted end 193, 293. Thus the adapter 170, 270 is kept pressed against the support 120, 220 by the attachment of the attachment part 191, 291 on the one hand, and by the fixing part 195, 295 on the other hand.

(65) In the second embodiment, the adapter fixing means 126 comprise another indentation 126b capable of receiving the metal fixing rod 190, in such a way that each indentation 126a, 126b defines a different fixing position of the metal rod 190. Thus, as shown in FIG. 7, the rod 190 is positioned in the intermediate indentation 126b, allowing the module to be pre-positioned before its final fixing, for example in order to adjust it correctly before it is lowered. The rod 190 is then placed in the final indentation 126a to fix the adapter 170 finally in the support 120. Clearly, the term “final” is to be interpreted as meaning “final for the purpose of making the module operable”, rather than final for the whole service life of the module, since according to the invention this attachment is removable to allow the light source to be replaced by the withdrawal and replacement of the adapter.

(66) As may be seen, according to the invention the support unit comprises by the adapter 70, 170, 270 is a radiator whose fins 75, 175, 275 are arranged to dissipate the heat given off by the LED 13. This is even more effective because they are orientated upwards.

(67) In the three embodiments, the adapter 70, 170, 270 comprises a connector 82, 182 or 282 connected to the LED 13, and the support 20, 120 and 220 also comprises a connector 82, 182.

(68) As shown in FIG. 10, according to the invention, these connectors 82, 182 are arranged one above the other when the adapter 70 is positioned in the support 20, 120, 220, so that, during assembly, the simple fact of lowering the adapter 70, 170, 270 onto the module causes the connectors 82, 182 to be plugged into one another.

(69) As shown in FIG. 11, the connector 382 of the adapter 70 may comprise connecting pins 384, 385, the connector 502 of the support 20 being electrically connected by the insertion of its pins 504, 404 between those of the connector of the adapter 70.

(70) As shown in FIG. 12, the pins of the connector of the support 20 comprise blades 516 mounted on more rigid parts 514 between which the central pin of the connector of the adapter 70 is inserted, the rigid parts 514 being housed between the walls 484 of the connector of the adapter 70. The rigid parts 514 are connected to the support 20 by means of a spring 518 enabling the dimensional tolerances to be reduced for mounting during the fixing of the adapter 70.

(71) According to one embodiment, the contact surfaces 76 of the adapter 70 and of the support 20 are in direct contact. The optical element have a clearance on an axis perpendicular to the tangent to these contact surfaces 76, that is to say on the vertical axis Z in the illustrated embodiments. Thus on this axis the arrangement is made according to the support 20. This clearance may, for example, be in the range from 0.1 to 2 mm, preferably from 0.5 to 1 mm, or preferably 0.5 mm.

(72) According to a variant embodiment, the contact surfaces 66 of the support 20 and/or the contact surfaces 76 of the adapter are covered with a compressible heat-conducting element, notably a filled silicone, for example a PAD 900 silicone. This compressible element may have a thickness of about 229 μm. The adapter is in direct contact with the optical deflection element 12, in such a way that the adapter 70, 170, 270 is indexed relative to the optical deflection element 12 on the vertical axis Z.

(73) It can be seen here that, in three embodiments, the contact surfaces 66 and 76 are in direct or indirect thermal contact, so that the adapter 70, 170, 270 and the support 20, 120, 220 of the optical deflection element 12 form a single heat sink, the fins being located in some cases (75, 23, 24, 25; 175, 123, 124, 125; 275, 223, 224, 225) on the adapter 70, 170, 270, and in other cases on the support 20, 120, 220.

(74) This provides a radiator enabling heat to be removed directly from the base of the LED 13, and an extensive exchange surface.

(75) While the system, apparatus, process and method herein described constitute preferred embodiments of this invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise system, apparatus, process and method, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.