Lighting device for vehicles

• US 8,864,352 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2012
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hella KGaA Hueck & Company
• Original Assignee: Hella KGaA Hueck & Company
• Inventors: Kloos, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Vip
• Application Number:
  US13/646,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20130094236A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 362/516, 362/543
• US Class Current: 362/516
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/143 the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/153 arranged in a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/322 the reflector using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/00 Reflectors for light sources characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/505

Abstract

A lighting device for vehicles with a plurality of light sources arranged like a matrix in a light generation level, with one light forming optic unit being arranged in the primary direction of emission in front of the light source, and with a pre-optic unit arranged between the light forming optic unit and the light sources, comprising a plurality of pre-optic elements, characterized in that the pre-optic elements are embodied as planar band elements provided with reflective flat sides and that the plurality of pre-optic elements form a band grid with a plurality of recesses, each allocated to the light sources.

Claims

1. A lighting device for vehicles with a plurality of light sources arranged like a matrix in a light generation level, comprising a light forming optic unit arranged in front of the light sources in the primary direction of emission and a pre-optic unit between the light forming optic unit and the light sources further comprising a plurality of pre-optic elements, wherein the pre-optic elements are embodied as planar band elements provided with reflective planar sides and the plurality of pre-optic elements form a band grid with a plurality of recesses, respectively allocated to light sources.

2. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the band grid directly follows the light generation level in the primary direction of emission.

3. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the band grid shows such a thickness that the light entering the recesses thereof is reflected several times at the reflective planar sides of the band elements.

4. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the planar band elements of the band grid, arranged adjacent in reference to each other, are arranged perpendicular and at the same distance from each other.

5. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the planar band elements are each embodied oblong and comb-like with a number of lateral slots, wherein band elements arranged perpendicular in reference to each other can be connected via the lateral slot.

6. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the reflective planar sides of the band elements are coated high-gloss.

7. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the planar band elements are embodied stiffly and/or wherein the planar band elements show a thickness ranging from about 0.06 mm to about 0.5 mm.

8. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the planar band elements show a width ranging from about 2 mm to about 5 mm, preferably a width of 3 mm.

9. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the light forming optic unit comprises at least one lens and wherein a frontal edge of the band grid in the primary direction of emission is arranged in a focal level of the light forming optic unit.

10. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the light sources are embodied as LED light sources and/or LED chips, held on a common carrier and/or a cooling body.

11. The lighting device according to claim 8, wherein the planar band elements show a width of about 3 mm.