LIGHT DEVICE WITH MOVABLE SCANNING MEANS AND OPTICAL FIBER

• US 20180266641A1
• Filed: 03/15/2018
• Published: 09/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Albou, Pierre
• Granted Patent: US 10,386,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/16 Laser light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/285 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S41/24 - F21S41/2805
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/635 by moving refractors, filters or transparent cover plates
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/645 by electro-optic means, e.g. liquid crystal or electrochromic devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/04 by movement of reflectors in vehicle head lamps F21S41/675
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/10 Scanning systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0071 for beam steering, e.g. using a mirror outside the cavity to change the beam direction
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0087 for illuminating phosphorescent or fluorescent materials, e.g. using optical arrangements specifically adapted for guiding or shaping laser beams illuminating these materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4012 Beam combining, e.g. by the use of fibres, gratings, polarisers, prisms

Abstract

A light device, notably for a motor vehicle including at least one laser light source emitting a laser light beam, a wavelength conversion material capable of converting one part of a laser light beam, diffusing another part of the laser light beam and combining the diffused and converted parts into a resultant primary light beam, a movable scanning means for scanning the laser light beam onto the wavelength conversion material, an optical means of projection of the primary light beam, an optical fiber arranged for receiving on an input face the laser light beam emitted by the laser light source and for directing the laser light beam toward the movable scanning means.

Claims

1. Light device, notably for a motor vehicle including:

at least one laser light source emitting a laser light beam;

a wavelength conversion material capable of converting one part of a laser light beam, diffusing another part of the laser light beam and combining the diffused and converted parts into a resultant primary light beam;

a movable scanning means for scanning the laser light beam onto the wavelength conversion material;

an optical means of projection of the primary light beam;

an optical fiber arranged for receiving on an input face the laser light beam emitted by the laser light source and for directing said laser light beam toward the movable scanning means.

2. Light device according to claim 1, wherein the optical fiber is defined by at least one core diameter and one numerical aperture, and wherein, the core diameter, the numerical aperture and the arrangement of the optical fiber relative to the movable scanning means are such that the scanned beam forms a patch of at most 300 micrometers on the conversion means.

3. Light device according to claim 2, wherein the core diameter, the numerical aperture and the arrangement of the optical fiber relative to the movable scanning means are such that the scanned beam forms a patch of at most 250 micrometers on the conversion means.

4. Light device according to claim 1, including a means of focusing or a means of anamorphosis arranged between the output of the optical fiber and the movable scanning means.

5. Light device according to claim 1, comprising a primary means of anamorphosis arranged between each light source and the input face of the optical fiber.

6. Light device according to claim 5, wherein the primary means of anamorphosis is arranged so as to form an image of the emitted light beam, on the optical fiber, said image having dimensions less than or equal to the input face of the optical fiber and the numerical aperture of the incident beam being less than or equal to that of the optical fiber.

7. Light device according to claim 5, wherein the primary means of anamorphosis includes at least two lenses.

8. Light device according to claim 7, wherein each lens is arranged so as to modify the divergence of an incident beam along a given processing direction for obtaining a predetermined magnification along the given processing direction.

9. Light device according to claim 8, wherein the processing directions of the lenses of the means of anamorphosis are perpendicular to each other.

10. Light device according to claim 9, wherein the magnifications of the lenses of the primary means of anamorphosis are distinct.

11. Light device according to claim 9, wherein the lenses of the primary means of anamorphosis are cylindrical lenses having respective generators extending in planes perpendicular to each other.

12. Light device according to claim 1, including a primary light source emitting a first light beam and a secondary light source emitting a second light beam, in which wherein the optical fiber is arranged for receiving on the input face the first and second laser light beams so as to direct said first and second laser light beams toward the movable scanning means.

13. Light device according to claim 1, wherein the primary and secondary light sources are arranged so as to emit polarized laser light beams in respective planes perpendicular to each other.

14. Light device according to claim 12, comprising a means of combining capable of polarizing the laser beams from the primary and secondary light sources.

15. Light device according to claim 14, wherein the means of combining includes a polarizer located between the primary and secondary light sources and the input face of the optical fiber.

16. Light device according to claim 2, including a means of focusing or a means of anamorphosis arranged between the output of the optical fiber and the movable scanning means.

17. Light device according to claim 2, comprising a primary means of anamorphosis arranged between each light source and the input face of the optical fiber.

18. Light device according to claim 6, wherein the primary means of anamorphosis includes at least two lenses.

19. Light device according to claim 10, wherein the lenses of the primary means of anamorphosis are cylindrical lenses having respective generators extending in planes perpendicular to each other.

20. Light device according to claim 2, including a primary light source emitting a first light beam and a secondary light source emitting a second light beam, wherein the optical fiber is arranged for receiving on the input face the first and second laser light beams so as to direct said first and second laser light beams toward the movable scanning means.