Light guiding device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10060594-B2
Application number	US-201615228566-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2016
Priority date	Jan 19, 2015
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A light guiding device for an illumination device, especially for a motor vehicle or an indicator device in a rearview device of a motor vehicle includes a light coupling side for incoupling light from a light source, a reflection side having a reflection layer; and a light outcoupling side, which is disposed generally opposite the reflection side. A clearance between the reflection side and the light outcoupling side generally decreases as the distance from the light incoupling side increases. The reflection side having the reflection layer is configured so that light arriving from the light incoupling side is deflected to the light outcoupling side. The reflection layer may be a paint or lacquer layer that is imprinted or evaporation-coated on the reflection side; and the having a white sheet on or next to the rejection side.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An illumination device, especially for a motor vehicle or an indicator device in a rearview device of a motor vehicle, comprising:
a light source,
a printed circuit board to which the light source is coupled,
a light guiding device with
a. a light incoupling side for incoupling light from the light source;
b. a reflection side; and
c. a light outcoupling side, which is disposed generally opposite the reflection side, wherein a clearance between the reflection side and the light outcoupling side generally decreases as the distance from the light incoupling side increases and the reflection side having the reflection layer configured so that light arriving from the light incoupling side is deflected to the light outcoupling side,
a backing plate comprising:
a. a first attachment means for the printed circuit board together with the light source on a rear side of the backing plate, and
b. a second attachment means for an actuator of a mirror glass, with the mirror glass to be attached on a front side of the backing plate and the actuator to be attached on the rear side of the backing plate; and
a white sheet next to or on the reflection side.

2. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein
the backing plate comprises
a. the white sheet,
b. a housing within which the light guiding device is mounted, and
c. one of a wooden pulp filter, or a paint or lacquer layer that is imprinted or evaporation-coated on the reflection side.

3. The illumination device according to claim 2 , wherein
the backing plate or the housing is at least partly molded from white material.

4. The illumination device according to claim 2 , wherein
the wooden pulp filter comprises a piece of paper.

5. The illumination device according to claim 2 , wherein
the wooden pulp filter is arranged either between the front side of the backing plate and the mirror glass or between the rear side of the backing plate and at least part of the light guiding device together with the printed circuit board.

6. The illumination device according to claim 5 , wherein
the wooden pulp filter is secured to the backing plate in a second molding and/or a coating step.

7. A method for producing the illumination device according to claim 2 with the following steps:
a. placing the wooden pulp filter on the rear side of the backing plate,
b. placing the printed circuit board on the rear side of the wooden pulp filter and
c. placing a coat on the rear side of the printed circuit board and at least a part of the rear side of the backing plate surrounding the printed circuit board.

8. A method for producing the illumination device according to claim 2 with the following steps:
a. placing the wooden pulp filter on the front side of the backing plate and
b. placing a coat on the front side of the wooden pulp filter and at least a part of the front side of the backing plate surrounding the wooden pulp filter.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein
the mirror glass is attached via the coat securing the wooden pulp filter on the backing plate.

10. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein
the backing plate comprises at least one opening passing from the rear side of the backing plate to the front side thereof, and
the white sheet is arranged at least partly within the opening or overlapping the opening.

11. The illumination device according to claim 10 , wherein
the opening is formed as a logo pattern.

12. The illumination device according to claim 11 , wherein
the backing plate is formed together with the logo pattern, the first attachment means and the second attachment means in a first molding step, in particular by a first injection molding step.

13. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein
the light guiding device further includes a color layer wherein the color layer has a heat resistance of around −40° C. to +115° C.

14. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein
the light incoupling side and the light outcoupling side of the light guiding device are configured flat and these surfaces are arranged essentially orthogonal to one another.

15. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein
the light guiding device is embodied so that light being at least one of coupled into the light guiding device, reflected and outcoupled, experiences one of no change in color or a change in color.

16. The illumination device according to claim 15 , wherein
the light experiences a change in color to substantially one of red, yellow, or green.

17. The illumination device according to claim 1 , further comprising one or a plurality of color filters on at least one of the light incoupling side, the reflection side, the reflection layer, the light outcoupling side, and inside the light guiding device to achieve a change in color.

18. The illumination device according to claim 17 , wherein
light from a light source, which emits white light, is outcoupled colored from the light guiding device in at least one of red, yellow or green.

19. A rearview device for a motor vehicle having a rearview reflection surface and the illumination device according to claim 1 , especially for an indicator of a blind spot monitor, wherein the light guiding device, the light source and the rearview reflection surface are arranged together in such a way that the light guiding device deflects the light emitted by the light source to a side of the rearview reflection surface facing away from the driver of the vehicle or facing to the driver of the vehicle.

20. The rearview device according to claim 19 , wherein one region of the rearview reflection surface comprises a non-reflecting or partially reflecting part, especially a pictogram, which is backlit by the light source and the light guiding device.

Assignees

• Smr Patent S A R L
• Smr Patents Sarl

Inventors

• Kürschner Norbert
• Fritz Daniel
• Meier Eugen
• Erhart Volker
• Little Andrew Brian
• Welfare Harry
• Edney Stephen

Classifications

• G02B6/0046

  Tapered light guide, e.g. wedge-shaped light guide · CPC title

• F21S43/239 Primary

  plate-shaped · CPC title

• B60R2001/1215

  with information displays · CPC title

• B60R1/06

  mounted on vehicle exterior {(B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G02B6/0078

  Side-by-side arrangements, e.g. for large area displays · CPC title