LIGHT GUIDE ASSEMBLY AND LIGHTING AND/OR SIGNALING APPARATUS

• US 20170241615A1
• Filed: 02/15/2017
• Published: 08/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Lighting Hubei Technical Center Co., Ltd. (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Lighting Hubei Technical Center Co., Ltd. (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: LUO, Ji, Yang, Pingwu, Zhou, Haiqing
• Granted Patent: US 10,584,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/20 Multi-color single source or LED matrix, e.g. yellow blinker and red brake lamp generated by single lamp
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/005 using light guides light guides specially adapted for lighting devices G02B6/0001
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/235 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/241 of complex shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/249 with two or more light sources being coupled into the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0021 for housing at least a part of the light source, e.g. by forming holes or recesses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0038 Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a light guide assembly. The assembly includes: a light guide body part having a light exit face and a light distribution face; a first light incidence part having a first end and a second end on which at least one first light guiding unit is provided, the first light guiding unit being arranged to receive a first light and direct the first light into the light guide body part; a second light incidence part having a first end and a second end on which at least one second light guiding unit is provided, the second light guiding unit being arranged to receive a second light and direct the second light into the light guide body part, wherein the light distribution face is arranged to reflect the first/second light directed into the light guide body part towards the light exit face.

Claims

1. A light guide assembly comprising:

a light guide body part having a light exit face and a light distribution face opposite to the light exit face;

a first light incidence part having a first end connected to an end of the light guide body part and a second end on which at least one first light guiding unit is provided, the first light guiding unit being arranged to receive a first light and direct the first light into the light guide body part via the first light incidence part;

a second light incidence part having a first end connected to the other end of the light guide body part and a second end on which at least one second light guiding unit is provided, the second light guiding unit being arranged to receive a second light and direct the second light into the light guide body part via the second light incidence part,

wherein the light distribution face is arranged to reflect the first light directed into the light guide body part via the first light incidence part and/or the second light directed into the light guide body part via the second light incidence part, towards the light exit face.

2. The light guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first light incidence part and/or the second light incidence part are/is at an angle between 70 degrees and 180 degrees relative to the light guide body part.

3. The light guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first light incidence part and/or the second light incidence part are/is at an angle of 90 degrees relative to the light guide body part.

4. The light guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the light guide assembly is provided with a first reflective guiding face at the position where the light guide body part is connected to the first light incidence part, the first reflective guiding face being arranged to receive the first light from the first light incidence part and reflect all or part of it towards the light distribution face;

and/or

the light guide assembly is provided with a second reflective guiding face at the position where the light guide body part is connected to the second light incidence part, the second reflective guiding face being arranged to receive the second light from the second light incidence part and reflect all or part of it towards the light distribution face.

5. The light guide assembly according to claim 4, wherein the first reflective guiding face is a portion of the first light incidence part or a portion of the light guide body part;

and/or the second reflective guiding face is a portion of the second light incidence part or a portion of the light guide body part.

6. The light guide assembly according to claim 4, wherein the first reflective guiding face is substantially perpendicular to an angle-bisecting line of an angle formed by an incidence axis direction of the first light incident to the first light incidence part relative to the light exit face;

and/or the second reflective guiding face is substantially perpendicular to an angle-bisecting line of an angle formed by an incidence axis direction of the second light incident to the second light incidence part relative to the light exit face.

7. The light guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the light distribution face is provided with a prism array arrangement.

8. The light guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first light and the second light have different colors from each other.

9. The light guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first light incidence part, the second light incidence part and the light guide body part are integrally formed.

10. The light guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first light guiding unit and the second light guiding unit comprises:

a light incidence side arranged to receive an incident light;

a reflective side on which a reflective face is arranged, the reflective face being arranged to reflect at least part of the light from the light incidence side towards the light guide body part,

wherein the light incidence side is provided with a first incidence face and a second incidence face being arranged to receive a first part of the incident light and a second part of the incident light respectively and to collimate the first part of the incident light and the second part of the incident light in a plane along a first direction respectively, and

wherein the first incidence face and the second incidence face have curve shapes and one of the first incidence face and the second incidence face is arranged to direct the first part or second part of the incident light corresponding to it towards the reflective face on the reflective side.

11. A lighting and/or signaling apparatus comprising:

a first light source arranged to emit a first light;

a second light source arranged to emit a second light;

a light guide assembly according to claim 1.

12. The lighting and/or signaling apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first light source comprises an array of first light emitting diodes, and the second end of the first light incidence part is provided with an array of the first light guiding units which is arranged corresponding to the array of first light emitting diodes;

and/or the second light source comprises an array of second light emitting diodes, and the second end of the second light incidence part is provided with an array of the second light guiding units which is arranged corresponding to the array of second light emitting diodes.

13. The lighting and/or signaling apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first light incidence part and/or the second light incidence part are/is at an angle between 70 degrees and 180 degrees relative to the light guide body part.

14. The lighting and/or signaling apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first light incidence part and/or the second light incidence part are/is at an angle of 90 degrees relative to the light guide body part.

15. The lighting and/or signaling apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the light guide assembly is provided with a first reflective guiding face at the position where the light guide body part is connected to the first light incidence part, the first reflective guiding face being arranged to receive the first light from the first light incidence part and reflect all or part of it towards the light distribution face;

and/or

the light guide assembly is provided with a second reflective guiding face at the position where the light guide body part is connected to the second light incidence part, the second reflective guiding face being arranged to receive the second light from the second light incidence part and reflect all or part of it towards the light distribution face.

16. The lighting and/or signaling apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the first reflective guiding face is a portion of the first light incidence part or a portion of the light guide body part;

and/or the second reflective guiding face is a portion of the second light incidence part or a portion of the light guide body part.

17. The lighting and/or signaling apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the first reflective guiding face is substantially perpendicular to an angle-bisecting line of an angle formed by an incidence axis direction of the first light incident to the first light incidence part relative to the light exit face;

and/or the second reflective guiding face is substantially perpendicular to an angle-bisecting line of an angle formed by an incidence axis direction of the second light incident to the second light incidence part relative to the light exit face.

18. The lighting and/or signaling apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the light distribution face is provided with a prism array arrangement.

19. The lighting and/or signaling apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first light and the second light have different colors from each other.

20. The lighting and/or signaling apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first light incidence part, the second light incidence part and the light guide body part are integrally formed.