Light device, especially a signal lamp, for motor vehicles

• US 10,371,342 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2017
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PO Lighting Czech SRO
• Original Assignee: Varroc Lighting Systems S.R.O. (Varroc Engineering Limited)
• Inventors: Gloss, Tomas, Simurda, Vit, Matuska, Ondrej
• Primary Examiner(s): Haupt, Kristy A
• Application Number:
  US15/821,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20180149330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0058 Stacked, i.e. one lamp located behind the other in the optical axis direction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/237 rod-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/239 plate-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/245 emitting light from one or more of its major surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/251 the light guides being used to transmit light from remote light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/30 characterised by reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/31 Optical layout thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/40 characterised by the combination of reflectors and refractors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0041 provided in the bulk of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0043 provided on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0045 by shaping at least a portion of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0048 with stepwise taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0055 Reflecting element, sheet or layer

Abstract

A light device, especially a signal lamp, for motor vehicles, comprising a carrier housing covered by a translucent cover, and an inner chamber in which at least one primary optical assembly is housed, and comprising a planar light guide to guide the light generated by a lighting unit. The light guide surface comprises a front output surface to emit light rays out of the light device and an input surface to bind light rays produced by the lighting unit. The light guide surface includes, on its side facing away from the front output surface, at least one reflective surface configured to direct light rays to, and through, the output surface out of the planar light guide to create, on the front output surface, an output light region with a light intensity which differs from light intensity shown by places adjacent to the region on the front output surface.

Claims

1. A light device, especially a signal lamp for motor vehicles, comprising a carrier housing (1) covered by a translucent cover (2), and an inner chamber (3) in which at least one primary optical assembly (4) is housed comprising a planar light guide (5) to guide the light generated by a lighting unit (6), wherein a surface of the light guide comprises a front output surface (55) to emit light rays (100) out of the light device and an input surface (56) to bind light rays produced by the lighting unit (6) positioned outside the light guide surface into the planar light guide (5), wherein the light guide surface includes, on its side facing away from the front output surface (55), at least one reflective surface (57) configured to direct light rays (100) to the front output surface (55) and further through the output surface (55) out of the planar light guide (5) to create, on the front output surface (55), an output light region (59) with a light intensity which differs from light intensity shown by places adjacent to the region (59) on the front output surface (55), wherein the lighting unit (6) comprises a linear light guide (61) fitted with an input surface (65) and an output surface (66), at least one light source (62) being situated at she input surface (65) of the linear light guide (61) and the output surface (66) of the linear light guide (61) being situated opposite the input surface (56) of the planar light guide (5).

2. The light device, according to claim 1, wherein the planar light guide (5) comprises diffusion particles for diffusion of light rays, contained in at least one structure (52).

3. The light device according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the structures (52) is situated in the body of the planar light guide (5).

5. The light device according claim 2, wherein at least one of the structures (52) is transparent or at least pray transparent.

6. The light device according to claim 1, wherein the lighting unit (6) comprises an assembly of light sources (62) mounted on a carrier (63) opposite the input surface (56) of the planar light guide (5).

7. The light device according to claim 1, wherein the lighting unit (6) comprises a lighting planar light guide (64) fated with an input surface (65) and an output surface (66), at least one light source (62) being situated at the input surface (65) of the lighting planar light guide (64) and the output surface (66) of the lighting planar light guide (64) being situated opposite input surface (56) of the planar light guide (5).

8. The light device according to claim 1, wherein the planar light guide (5) is fitted with a non-transparent covering segment (51) to cover at least a part of the lighting unit (6) in the front view.

9. The light device according to claim 1, wherein the planar light guide (5) is produced as one integral piece.

10. The light device according to claim 1, wherein in the view of the inner chamber (3), behind the planar light guide (5), an active optical element (8) is arranged comprising a surface (81) facing the rear surface (54) of the planar light guide (5) with diffusion and/or reflective properties to return rays (100) that have escaped from the planar light guide (5) through a part of its surface different from the front output surface (55), back to the planar light guide (5) body.

11. The light device according to claim 1, wherein in the view of the inner chamber (3), behind the planar light guide (5), an active optical element (8a) is arranged comprising at least one reflector (82), which is part of a secondary optical assembly (9), to reflect light rays produced by a lighting unit (6a) of the secondary optical assembly (9).

4. The light device according to claim wherein at least one of the structures (52) is situated on the planar light guide surface.

12. A light device, especially a signal lamp for motor vehicles, comprising a carrier housing (1) covered by a translucent cover (2), and an inner chamber (3)in which at least one primary optical assembly (4) is housed comprising a planar light guide (5) to guide the light generated by a lighting unit (6),wherein a surface of the light guide comprises a front output surface (55) to emit light rays (100) out of the device and an input surface (56) to bind light rays produced by the lighting unit (6) positioned outside the light guide surface into the planar light guide (5), wherein the light guide surface includes, on its side facing away from the front output surface (55), at least one reflective surface (57) configured to direct light rays (100) to the front output surface (55) and farther through the output surface (55) out of the planar light guide (5) to create, on the front output surface (55), an output light region (59) with a light intensity which differs from light intensity shown by places adjacent to the region (59) on the front output surface (55), wherein in the view of the inner chamber (3), behind the planar light guide (5), an active optical element (8) is arranged comprising a surface (81) facing the roar surface (54) of the planar light guide (5) with diffusion and/or reflective properties to return rays (100) that have escaped from the planar light guide (5) through a part of its surface different from the front output surface (55), back to the planar light guide (5) body.

13. The light device according to claim 12, wherein the planar light guide (5) comprises diffusion particles for diffusion of light rays, contained in at least one structure (52).

14. The light device according to claim 12, wherein the lighting unit (6) comprises an assembly of light sources (62) mounted on a carrier (63) opposite the input surface (56) of the planar light guide (5).

15. The light device according to claim 12, wherein the lighting unit (6) comprises a lighting planar light guide (64) fitted with an input surface (65) and an output surface (66), at least one light source (62) being situated at the input surface (65) of the lighting planar light guide (64) and the output surface (66) of the lighting planar light guide (64) being situated opposite the input surface (56) of the planar light guide(5).

16. The tight device according to claim 12, wherein the planar light guide (5) is fitted with a non-transparent covering segment (51) to cover at least a part of the lighting unit (6) in the front view.

17. The light device according to claim 12, wherein in the view of die inner chamber (3), behind the planar light guide (5), an active optical element (8a) is arranged comprising at least one reflector (82), which is part of a secondary optical assembly (9), to reflect rays produced by a lighting unit (6a) of the secondary optical assembly (9).

18. A light device, especially a signal lamp for motor vehicles, comprising a carrier housing (1) covered by a translucent cover (2),and an inner chamber (3) in which at least one primary optical assembly (4) is housed comprising a planar light guide (5)to guide the light generated by a lighting unit (6),wherein a surface of the light guide comprises a front output surface (55) to emit light rays (100) out of the light device and an input surface (56) to bind light rays produced by the lighting unit (6) positioned outside the light guide surface into the planar light guide (5), wherein the light guide surface includes, on its side facing away from the front output surface (55), at least one reflective surface (57) configured to direct light rays (100) to the front output surface (55) and further through the output surface (55) out of the planar light guide (5) to create, on the front output surface (55),an output light region (59) with a light intensity which differs from light intensity shown by places adjacent to the region (59) on the front output surface (55), wherein the lighting unit (6) comprises a lighting planar light guide (64) fitted with an input surface (65) and an output surface (66), at least one light source (62) being situated at the input surface (65) of the lighting planar light guide (64) and the output surface (66) of the lighting planar light guide (64) being situated opposite the input surface (56) of the planar light guide (5) to emit light rays (100) that enter the planar light guide(5) through the input surface (56).

19. The light device according to claim 18, wherein the planar light guide (5) comprises diffusion particles for diffusion of light rays, contained in at least one structure (52).

20. The light device according to claim 18, wherein the lighting unit (6) comprises an assembly of light sources (62) mounted on a carrier (63) opposite the input surface (56) of the planar light guide (5).