Illumination device for vehicle

• US 5,984,497 A
• Filed: 12/18/1997
• Issued: 11/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Duerr, Albrecht, Foerstner, Rolf, Boebel, Doris, Hamm, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US08/993,295
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 362/551, 362/554, 362/558, 362/511, 362/543, 362/544, 362/559
• US Class Current: 362/511
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0011 with light guides for distributing the light between several lighting or signalling devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0052 concentric
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/24 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/237 rod-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 43/247 with a single light source being coupled into the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0006 Coupling light into the fibre in general G02B6/4298
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/001 the light being emitted along at least a portion of the lateral surface of the fibre

Abstract

An illumination device for a vehicle has a housing having a light outlet opening, a light-permeable cover member closing the light outlet opening of the housing, a light source arranged in the housing, a unit forming a side marker light, the a unit including at least one light guiding element in which a light emitted by the light source is uncoupled, the at least one light guiding element extending over a part of a contour of the illumination device, the light guiding element being arranged so that the light exits from the at least one light guiding element over its course from a part of an outer surface of the light guiding element.

Claims

1. An illumination device mountable on a front end of a vehicle, comprising a housing having a light outlet opening;

a light-permeable cover member closing said light outlet opening of said housing;

a light source arranged in said housing and producing a light which exits through said light outlet opening;

means forming a side marker light, said means including an additional light source and at least one light guiding element in which a light emitted by said additional light source is uncoupled, said at least one light guiding element extending over a part of a contour of the illumination device, said light guiding element being arranged so that the light exits from said at least one light guiding element over a course of said at least one light guiding element from a part of an outer surface of said light guiding element and therefore over a part of a contour of the illumination device.

2. An illumination device as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one light guiding element is formed so that the light exiting from said at least one light guiding element is at least approximately uniformly distributed over said course.

3. An illumination device as defined in claim 1, wherein said light guiding element is formed so that at least a greater part of the light exiting from said outer surface of said at least light element extends in a light outlet direction of the illumination device.

4. An illumination device as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one light guiding element is arranged in said course over a contour of the illumination device on said cover member.

5. An illumination device as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one light guiding element is arranged in said course on a contour of the illumination device on said housing.

6. An illumination device as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for forming the side marker light include at least one further light element in which the light emitted by said light source is uncoupled and which has an end arranged on a contour of the illumination device so that the light exits from said end.

7. An illumination device as defined in claim 6, wherein said at least one further light guiding element is arranged so that the light exiting from said end of said at least one further light guiding element is concentrated in a region of an optical axis of said end.

8. An illumination device as defined in claim 6;

and further comprising at least one optical element arranged so that the light exiting from said end of said at least one further light guiding element passes through said at least one optical element and is deviated by said at least one optical element.

9. An illumination device as defined in claim 6, wherein said light guiding elements are arranged so that the light emitted by said light source is uncoupled in said at least one light guiding element and in said at least one further light guiding element.