Travel direction indicator module and exterior rearview mirror arrangement

• US 10,507,761 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2017
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SMR Patents Sarl (SMR Patents)
• Original Assignee: SMR Patents Sarl (SMR Patents)
• Inventors: Fritz, Daniel, Erhart, Volker, Marosvoelgyi, Denes
• Primary Examiner(s): Breval, Elmito
• Application Number:
  US15/402,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20170217362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 362509
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/34 for indicating change of drive direction B60Q1/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/237 rod-shaped
• 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 43/245 emitting light from one or more of its major surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/26 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/00 Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0078 Side-by-side arrangements, e.g. for large area displays

Abstract

The present invention relates to a travel direction indicator module for an exterior rearview mirror arrangement for a motor vehicle having at least one light source, a first light conductor comprising a multiplicity of light decoupling points, and a second light conductor, wherein the light source couples a first beam part into the first light conductor at a first end and a second beam part into the second light conductor at a first end, and a module housing is formed as one injection molded part in common with the first light conductor and the second light conductor, which emits light into a single light decoupling area, which is arranged in an area of the second end of the first light conductor situated opposite the first end of the first light conductor, and an exterior rearview mirror arrangement having such a travel direction indicator module.

Claims

1. A travel direction indicator module for an exterior rearview mirror arrangement for a motor vehicle having

at least one light source,

a first light conductor comprising a multiplicity of light decoupling points, and

a second light conductor configured as a function light wherein incoming light emission is substantially unimpeded through the second light conductor, wherein the light source couples a first beam part into the first light conductor at a first end and a second beam part into the second light conductor at a first end, and

the light decoupling points are distributed across the entire length of the first light conductor between its first and second end and are provided by optical elements,

wherein

a module housing is formed as one injection molded part in common with the first light conductor and the second light conductor, which emits light into a single light decoupling area, which is arranged in an area of the second end of the first light conductor situated opposite the first end of the first light conductor, wherein

the first light conductor, the second light conductor, the module housing and the optical elements are formed in common.

2. The travel direction indicator module according to claim 1, wherein at least one connecting element, especially for a detachable connection like a snap-on connection, or a welding surface for an undetachable connection like a weld joint, is provided on at least one edge region of the module housing for the connection to the exterior rearview mirror arrangement and/or to an inner housing of the travel direction indicator module.

3. The travel direction indicator module according to claim 1, wherein the second end of the second light conductor terminates before or within the light decoupling area, wherein a gap is preferably provided between the second end of the second light conductor and the light decoupling area.

4. The travel direction indicator module according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second light conductor run at least partially in parallel, and/or the first and the second light conductor run at least partially one above the other or next to one another relative to the direction of view of a driver of the motor vehicle.

18. An exterior rearview mirror arrangement for a motor vehicle having a mirror head which can swivel relative to a mirror base, wherein at least one mirror and one travel direction indicator module according to claim 1 are provided in the housing of the mirror head.

19. The exterior rearview mirror arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the housing of the mirror head features a light exit opening, which is filled up at least by the first light conductor according to claim 1 or at least by the second light conductor according to claim 5.

20. The exterior rearview mirror arrangement according to claim 18, wherein each connecting element or each welding surface of the module housing and/or the inner housing connects the travel direction indicator module to the housing of the mirror head.

5. A travel direction indicator module for an exterior rearview mirror arrangement for a motor vehicle having

at least one light source,

a first light conductor comprising a multiplicity of light decoupling points, and

a second light conductor configured as a function light wherein incoming light emission is substantially unimpeded through the second light conductor, wherein the light source couples a beam part into the first light conductor at a first end, and

the light decoupling points are distributed across the entire length of the first light conductor between its first and second end and are provided by optical elements,

wherein

the first and the second light conductor are formed as one injection molded part, the first light conductor, the second light conductor and the optical elements are formed in common, and wherein the first light conductor and the second light conductor are arranged one behind the other relative to the direction of view of a driver.

6. The travel direction indicator module according to claim 5, wherein the first and the second light conductor are arranged essentially in a horizontal plane, wherein the first light conductor is arranged essentially behind the second light conductor and is adjusted to emit light into the second light conductor.

7. The travel direction indicator module according to claim 5, wherein the first light conductor features a magnifying optics.

8. The travel direction indicator module according to claim 7, wherein the magnifying optics comprises a surface curving outwards.

9. The travel direction indicator module according to claim 8, wherein the magnifying optics comprises a circular arc, especially a circular arc having a ¼

circumference.

10. The travel direction indicator module according to claim 9, wherein the circle forming the basis of the circular arc features a radius in the range of 1 mm to 6 mm.

11. The travel direction indicator module according to claim 7, wherein the magnifying optics points downwards relative to the direction of view of a driver.

12. The travel direction indicator module according to claim 7, wherein the optical elements are arranged in a surface of the first light conductor, wherein the surface is arranged essentially perpendicular to the magnifying optics.

13. The travel direction indicator module according to claim 12, wherein the magnifying optics is adjusted to represent the optical elements in an enlarged manner.

14. The travel direction indicator module according to claim 13, wherein the second light conductor features a deflection surface, especially a deflection prism or an inclined plane, wherein the deflection surface is essentially arranged opposite the magnifying optics and is adjusted to deflect light from the magnifying optics, preferably upwards relative to the direction of view of a driver, especially to deflect up to 10°

upwards relative to an optical axis.

15. The travel direction indicator module according to claim 14, wherein light is emitted by an emission region on the second light conductor, wherein the emission region on the second light conductor runs essentially between its first and second end, and wherein the deflection surface runs at least partially behind the emission region.

16. The travel direction indicator module according to claim 5 featuring a module housing, wherein the first light conductor, the second light conductor, the module housing and the optical elements are formed in common, and wherein at least one connecting element, especially for a detachable connection like a snap-on connection, or a welding surface, especially for an undetachable connection like a weld joint, is provided on at least one edge region of the module housing for the connection to the exterior rearview mirror arrangement and/or to an inner housing of the travel direction indicator module.

17. The travel direction indicator module according to claim 5, wherein the light source couples another beam part into the second light conductor at a first end.