LIGHTING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES

• US 20150036372A1
• Filed: 08/01/2014
• Published: 02/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hella Gmbh & Co. Kgaa (Forvia SE)
• Original Assignee: Hella KGaA Hueck & Company
• Inventors: Niedenzu, Thomas, Khler, Stefan, Mallon, Matthias
• Granted Patent: US 9,452,704 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/511
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0011 with light guides for distributing the light between several lighting or signalling devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0088 Details of electrical connections B60Q1/305 takes precedence; electrical connection of the light source itself F21S41/192, F21S43/195
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2607 comprising at least two indicating lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/34 for indicating change of drive direction B60Q1/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/30 Daytime running lights [DRL], e.g. circuits or arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/19 Attachment of light sources or lamp holders
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/239 plate-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/243 emitting light from one or more of its extremities
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/249 with two or more light sources being coupled into the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/27 Attachment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0006 Coupling light into the fibre in general G02B6/4298
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/001 the light being emitted along at least a portion of the lateral surface of the fibre

Abstract

A lighting device for vehicles having an optical fiber including a flat segment with two opposing flat sides, a light decoupling area, and a light coupling area. The light decoupling area in which light relayed by the flat sides is output in the primary direction of emission. The light coupling area couples the light into the optical fiber, and is arranged on a free end of a light coupling element which is perpendicular to the flat segment and projects from the same. A deflection structure is arranged between the light coupling element and the flat segment for the purpose of deflecting the light toward the flat segment. A rigid circuit board runs parallel to the flat segment. The circuit board is configured with a number of light sources which are each functionally assigned to the light coupling elements.

Claims

1. A lighting device for vehicles comprising:

an optical fiber which includes;

a flat segment with two opposing flat sides, wherein light is relayed through said flat segment by total reflection,

a light decoupling area where the light relayed by the flat sides is decoupled in a primary direction of emission,

a light coupling area for the purpose of coupling the light into the optical fiber, wherein the light coupling area is arranged on a free end of at least one light coupling element, and wherein a said light coupling element is perpendicular to the flat segment and projects from the same, and

wherein a deflection structure is arranged between the light coupling element and the flat segment for the purpose of deflecting the light towards the flat segment,

and having a rigid circuit board running parallel to the flat segment, said circuit board being configured with a number of light sources which are each functionally assigned to the at least one light coupling elements,

wherein the flat segment is designed as a primary flat surface with an additional flat surface extended from an end region of the primary segment at an angle,

wherein the additional flat segment has a light decoupling area which connects in a continuous manner to the light decoupling area of the primary flat segment, and has flat sides,

wherein the additional flat segment has a light coupling area with a light coupling element for the purpose of coupling the light into the optical fiber, to which light sources, arranged on a flexible circuit board, are functionally assigned.

2. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the additional flat surface extends at an angle of inclination to a longitudinal axis running in a level of extension of the primary flat surface, and/or at a sweep angle to a level of extension running perpendicular to the level of extension of the primary flat segment.

3. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the rigid circuit board of the primary flat segment has a flat design and/or the primary flat segment has a longitudinally elongated design between a first end region and a second end region.

4. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein connection lines of the flexible circuit board are connected to connection lines of the rigid circuit board, in such a manner that the same light function can be generated by a single control shared by the light sources of the primary flat segment and the additional flat segment, or in that different light functions can be generated by a shared control of different light sources of the primary flat segment and the additional flat surface.

5. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the light decoupling area of the primary flat surface and the additional flat surface is designed as a narrow side which is configured with lens elements—

particularly cushion lens elements.

6. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the light coupling element of the primary flat surface and/or of the additional flat surface is designed as a flattened ellipsoid part.

7. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber are arranged with the primary flat surfaces of the same with a displacement parallel to each other, wherein the additional flat surfaces of the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber diverge from each other in opposite directions in the first end region of each respective primary flat surface.

8. The lighting device according to claim 7, wherein the primary flat surface of the second optical fiber abuts the primary flat surface of the first optical fiber on the end face thereof in the second end region.

9. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the light sources are each designed as LED light sources.

10. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the light sources which are functionally assigned to the additional flat surface are de-signed as LED light sources which can be clipped onto a cooling body, and are connected to each other via the flexible circuit board.