Lighting and/or signalling device with optical guide for a motor vehicle

• US 7,437,050 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2005
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Bourdin, David, De Lamberterie, Antoine
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, TINA MEI SENG
• Application Number:
  US11/150,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20050276565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 362/331, 362/339, 362/620, 362/626, 385/146, 385/901
• US Class Current: 385/146
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/237 rod-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/245 emitting light from one or more of its major surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/247 with a single light source being coupled into the light guide

Abstract

The invention concerns a lighting and/or signalling device for a motor vehicle comprising at least one light source emitting a light beam and at least one optical guide in which the light beam propagates, said optical guide comprising an output face for the light beam, and another reflection face, opposite to the output face, having a serrated profile forming a reflection face for the light beam, notably comprising a series of prisms, each prism forming, with the following prism (8), a bottom angle (D). At least one bottom angle of the reflection face is truncated, and/or in that the output face has a profile comprising flutes.

Claims

1. A device for a motor vehicle comprising:

at least one light source in a motor vehicle signal light or headlight configured to emit a light beam and at least one optical guide in which the light beam propagates, said optical guide comprising;

an output face for the light beam comprising flutes of uniform size and shape, and

a reflection face, opposite to the output face, having a serrated profile forming a reflection face for the light beam;

wherein the reflection face comprises a series of prisms, each prism forming, with the following prism, a bottom angle, said at least one bottom angle of the reflection face being truncated, the size of the truncated area being variable from one angle to another.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the size of the truncated areas of the reflection face decreases as the distance from the light source increases.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the reflection face comprises both prisms with a truncated bottom angle and prisms with a non truncated bottom angle.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the prisms of the reflection face have variable pitches and a constant height.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the prism of the reflection face have a constant pitch and variable heights.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the pitch of the prisms of the reflection faced has a size less than or equal to 2.5 millimeters, in particular of the order of 0.2 to 2 millimeters.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein the height of the prisms of the reflection face is less than or equal to 2.5 millimeters, in particular of the order of 0.2 to 2 millimeters.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the prisms of the reflection face are symmetrical.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the prisms of the reflection face are dissymmetrical.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein each flute of the output face is situated opposite a prism of the reflection face.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein it comprises at least two light sources each placed at one end of the optical guide.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein it comprises several optical guides having a common intersection, at least one light source being situated at this intersection point.

13. The device of claim 5, wherein the pitch of the prisms of the reflection face has a size less than or equal to 2.5 millimeters, in particular of the order of 0.2 to 2 millimeters.

14. A device for a motor vehicle comprising:

at least one light source in a motor vehicle signal light or headlight configured to emit a light beam and at least one optical guide in which the light beam propagates, said optical guide comprising;

a substantially cylindrical cross-section and a curvilinear shape along its length;

an output face for the light beam, and

a reflection face, opposite to the output face, having a serrated profile made up of a plurality of prisms having planar facets forming a reflection face for the light beam;

wherein the output face has a profile comprising flutes of uniform shape and size.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the flutes have a curved shape, in particular in an arc of a circle.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the flutes have the shape of a prism, in particular with plane facets.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the prisms of the output face are symmetrical or dissymmetrical.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the flutes of the output face each comprise a curved facet and a plane facet.

19. The device of claim 14, wherein the flutes of the output face are contiguous or non-contiguous.

20. The device of claim 14, wherein each flute of the output face forms a flute angle with an axis of the optical guide, of the order of 1°

to 30°

.

21. A device for a motor vehicle comprising:

at least one light source in a motor vehicle signal light or headlight configured to emit a light beam and at least one optical guide in which the light beam propagates, said optical guide comprising;

a substantially cylindrical cross-section and a curvilinear shape along its length;

an output face for the light beam, and

a reflection face, opposite to the output face, having a serrated profile forming a reflection face for the light beam;

wherein the reflection face comprises a series of prisms, each prism forming, with the following prism, a bottom angle, said at least one bottom angle of the reflection face being truncated, and further wherein the output face has a profile comprising flutes of uniform shape and size.