MULTIFUNCTION LAMP UNIT AND REAR VIEW DEVICE THEREWITH

• US 20170240102A1
• Filed: 05/08/2017
• Published: 08/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SMR Patents Sarl (SMR Patents)
• Original Assignee: SMR Patents Sarl (SMR Patents)
• Inventors: NEGEL, Raimund, SCHMIERER, Arne, FRITZ, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 10,508,788 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/16 Making multilayered or multicoloured articles B29C45/0062 takes precedence; feeding colouring materials into the injection unit B29C45/1816
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00663 Production of light guides
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00682 with a refractive index gradient
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0031 Refractive
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2011/0016 Lenses
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/747 Lightning equipment
• 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 1/38 using immovably-mounted light sources, e.g. fixed flashing lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/40 Welcome lights, i.e. specific or existing exterior lamps to assist leaving or approaching the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/19 Attachment of light sources or lamp holders
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/195 Details of lamp holders, terminals or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/237 rod-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/239 plate-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
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/50 Waterproofing
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/60 Heating of lighting devices, e.g. for demisting
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2103/25 for rear-view mirrors
• 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 6/0065 : Manufacturing aspects; Material aspects

Abstract

A multifunction lamp unit for a vehicle includes a housing, at least one light conductor with at least one illuminant provided by an LED on a printed circuit board, at least one light foil, and a clear lens. A method for manufacturing lamps for vehicles includes producing a housing, a light conductor, and a clear lens as one unit out of plastic in a 3-component injection procedure.

Claims

1. A multifunction lamp unit for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing;

at least one light conductor with at least one illuminant provided by an LED on a printed circuit board;

at least one light foil; and

a clear lens.

2. The multifunction lamp unit of claim 1,

wherein the multifunction lamp unit, including the clear lens and the at least one light conductor, is produced out of plastic in a 3-component injection procedure, and

wherein the refractive index of the plastic of the clear lens is selected to be different from the refractive index of the plastic of the at least one light conductor, and the boundary between the clear lens and the at least one light conductor adjacent to it is at least partly separated by a structure.

3. The multifunction lamp unit of claim 1, wherein the at least one light foil is arranged at least partly between the clear lens and at least a part of the at least one light conductor.

4. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 1, wherein at least one light conditioning area configured to be used for tinting, dying, reflecting, or scattering is introduced into at least one of the at least one light conductor and the clear lens by choosing at least one additive for the respective plastic.

5. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing is formed with a first recess to build an installation space for at least one illuminant, and the first recess is sealed.

6. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 5, wherein the housing is formed with a second recess to build an installation space for a control unit, and the second recess is sealed.

7. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 6, wherein the control unit is connected to at least one of the at least one illuminant, the light foil and the vehicle.

8. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 1, wherein the light foil extends along at least a part of the clear lens.

9. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one light conductor comprises a first light conductor and a second light conductor, and

wherein at least one light coupling area is provided at at least one of a first end of the first light conductor facing an installation space and a first end of the second light conductor extending along a region of the at least one light foil.

10. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 9, wherein each of the first light conductor and the second light conductor is enclosed by the housing and the clear lens.

11. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 9, further comprising at least one light decoupling area,

wherein the at least one illuminant comprises a first illuminant, and light rays from the first illuminant are subjected to a total reflection at the boundary between the first light conductor and the clear lens outside the at least one light decoupling area.

12. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 9, wherein the at least one illuminant comprises a first illuminant and a second illuminant, and light rays from the second illuminant are decoupled along at least a part of the extent of the second light conductor.

13. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 12, wherein the light rays decoupled from the second light conductor pass at least one of the light foil, the clear lens, and the housing.

14. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 12, wherein the light rays decoupled from the second light conductor pass an opening in at least one of the light foil and the housing.

15. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 9, wherein the at least one light conductor further comprises a third light conductor and the at least one illuminant comprises a first illuminant, a second illuminant, and a third illuminant, and wherein light rays from the third illuminant are coupled at a first end of the third light conductor and decoupled at a second end of the third light conductor.

16. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of light decoupling regions provided by at least one of the clear lens and the housing.

17. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 1, wherein the multifunction lamp unit is configured to provide a plurality of light decoupling directions or light decoupling ranges.

18. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of light decoupling regions, with light having different characteristics being decoupled from the different decoupling regions.

19. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 1, wherein the clear lens is made out of a polymeric substrate, wherein the polymeric substrate is coated with a chromium-based reflective coating and wherein the polymeric substrate and the chromium-based reflective coating are at least in part permeable to light originating from at least one of the light foil and the at least one illuminant.

20. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 19, wherein the coating is an alloy of chromium and a dopant material, the dopant material being selected from hexagonally close-packed transition metals, the alloy having a crystal structure of a primary body-centered cubic phase in coexistence with a secondary omega hexagonally close-packed phase.

21. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 19, wherein the at least one illuminant comprises a first illuminant, a second illuminant, a third illuminant, and a fourth illuminant, and the polymeric substrate comprises a polymeric light pipe into which light from the fourth illuminant is coupled.

22. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 20, wherein the alloy is a binary alloy of chromium and the dopant material.

23. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 19, wherein the atomic percentage of the dopant material in the binary alloy ranges from about 1.9 at. % to about 5.8 at. %.

24. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 19, wherein the dopant material is selected from hexagonally close-packed transition metals zirconium, titanium, cobalt, hafnium, rubidium, yttrium and osmium.

25. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 19, wherein the dopant material is selected from hexagonally close-packed transition metals zirconium, titanium and cobalt.

26. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 20, wherein the alloy is a binary alloy and the dopant material is zirconium, and wherein the atomic percentage of the zirconium in the binary alloy ranges from about 4.5 at. % to about 5.8 at. %.

27. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 20, wherein the alloy is a binary alloy and the dopant material is titanium, and wherein the atomic percentage of the titanium in the binary alloy ranges from about 1.9 at. % to about 5.8 at. %.

28. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 20, wherein the alloy is a binary alloy and the dopant material is cobalt, and wherein the atomic percentage of the cobalt in the binary alloy ranges from about 1.9 at. % to 5.7 at. %.

29. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 19, wherein the coating has a thickness of 200 nm, 100 nm, from 40 nm to 80 nm, from 50 nm to 70 nm, or about 60 nm.

30. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 19, wherein the polymeric substrate is formed from a material selected from the group of polyacrylate, polyester, polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamides, polyamides, polycarbonate, epoxy, phenolic, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, acrylonitrile-styrene-arylates, acetal and blends of these.

31. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 19, wherein the polymeric substrate is formed from a material selected from the group of polycarbonate, poly(2,2′

-dihydroxyphenylpropane) carbonate, polydiethyleneglycol bis(allyl carbonate), polymethylmethacrylate and polystyrene, or blends thereof.

32. The multifunction lamp unit according to claim 19, wherein the polymeric substrate includes a pre-coated film in the form of either a hardcoat, an inorganic oxide, or a thin metal film, or a combination of such pre-coated films.

33. A rear view device of a vehicle comprising a multifunction lamp unit as recited in claim 1.

34. The rear view device of claim 33, wherein the at least one illuminant and the light foil are configured to perform different light functions.

35. The rear view device of claim 34, wherein the at least one illuminant comprises at least two illuminants which are configured to perform different light functions.

36. The rear view device of claim 33, further comprising a head moveable relative to the vehicle, with the head comprising at least one casing part providing at least one opening for the multifunction lamp unit.

37. The rear view device of claim 36, wherein the clear lens extends along the casing part.

38. The rear view device of claim 36, wherein the clear lens is connected to at least the casing part.

39. The rear view device of claim 36, wherein the casing part is provided by a bezel.

40. The rear view device of claim 33, further comprising at least one of a camera and a reflective element.

41. The rear view device of claim 33, further comprising a camera, the camera being arranged within the head.

42. The rear view device of claim 33, further comprising at least one light decoupling region providing at least one of a turn light indicator, a blind spot indicator, a puddle light, a logo light and an approach light.