Lighting unit for a vehicle headlamp

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10139072-B2
Application number	US-201414783886-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2014
Priority date	Apr 12, 2013
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

The invention relates to a lighting unit ( 1 ) for a headlight ( 100 ), in particular for a headlight for a motor vehicle, wherein the lighting unit at least comprises:
*) a first light source group ( 10 ), which first light source group ( 10 ) comprises at least one light source ( 11, 12, 13, 14 ), *) a the second light source group ( 20 ), which second light source group ( 20 ) comprises at least one light source ( 21 ),

wherein the first light source group ( 10 ) is configured to generate a first light function, and wherein the second light source group ( 20 ) is configured to generate a second light function, which is different from the first light function, and wherein each light source ( 11, 12, 13, 14 ) of the first light source group ( 10 ) couples light into an optics element ( 111, 112, 113, 114 ) associated with the respective light source ( 11, 12, 13, 14 ), and wherein each light source ( 21 ) of the second light source group ( 20 ) couples light into an optics element ( 121 ) associated with the respective light source ( 21 ), and wherein a secondary optics, in particular in the form of a diffusing optics ( 50 ), is arranged downstream of the optics elements ( 111, 112, 113, 114, 121 ), through which secondary optics ( 50 ) the light exiting from all optics elements ( 111, 112, 113, 114, 121 ) passes and is irradiated into a region in front of the lighting unit ( 1 ), and wherein the least two groups ( 10, 20 ) of light sources ( 11, 12, 13, 14, 21 ) can be controlled separately.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lighting unit ( 1 ) for a headlight ( 100 ) for a motor vehicle, wherein the lighting unit comprises:
a first light source group ( 10 ) comprising at least one light source ( 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ),
a second light source group ( 20 ) comprising at least one light source ( 21 ),
wherein the first light source group ( 10 ) is configured to generate a first light function,
wherein the second light source group ( 20 ) is configured to generate a second light function, which is different from the first light function,
wherein each light source ( 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ) of the first light source group ( 10 ) couples light into a first type of optics element ( 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 ) associated with the respective light source ( 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ),
wherein each light source ( 21 ) of the second light source group ( 20 ) couples light into a second type of optics element ( 121 ) associated with the respective light source ( 21 ),
wherein the first type of optics element ( 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 ) produces a different optical illumination than the second type of optics element ( 121 ),
wherein a secondary optics comprising a diffusing optics ( 50 ) is arranged downstream of the first and second types of optics elements ( 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 , 121 ), through which secondary optics ( 50 ) the light exiting from the first and second types of optics elements ( 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 , 121 ) passes and is irradiated into a region in front of the lighting unit ( 1 ),
wherein the first and second light source groups ( 10 , 20 ) are separately controllable,
wherein the first light source group ( 10 ) is configured to generate a flashing light function, and the second light source group ( 20 ) is configured to generate a daytime running light function, a position light function, or a combined daytime running light-position light function,
wherein at least one of the first type of optics element ( 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 ) of the first light source group ( 10 ), in terms of a horizontal and/or vertical irradiation behaviour in a region of a casing of the at least one of the first type of optics element, is formed to produce a wide and crisscross optical illumination in a vertical direction or a horizontal direction,
wherein at least one of the second type of optics element ( 121 ) of the second light source group ( 20 ), in terms of a horizontal irradiation behaviour in a region of a casing of the at least one of the second type of optics element, is formed to produce a crisscross optical illumination in the horizontal direction,
wherein the first and second types of optics elements ( 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 , 121 ) associated with the light sources ( 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 21 ) are formed in a common optical component ( 200 ),
wherein adjacent optics elements of the first and second types of optics elements ( 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 , 121 ) transition into one another in transition regions ( 201 , 202 ) to provide a light mixing area for the adjacent optics elements, and
wherein light from the optics elements of the first and second types of optics elements ( 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 , 121 ) enters adjacent optics elements of the first and second types of optics elements ( 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 , 121 ) through the transition regions and exits from a light exit area of the adjacent optics elements.

2. The lighting unit of claim 1 , wherein the individual light sources ( 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 21 ) within the first or second light source group ( 10 , 20 ) are separately controllable from one another.

3. The lighting unit of claim 1 , wherein the first and second types of optics elements ( 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 , 121 ) are formed as TIR lenses.

4. The lighting unit of claim 1 , wherein the first and second types of optics elements ( 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 , 121 ) associated with the light sources ( 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 21 ) are formed as light-collecting optics.

5. The lighting unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light source ( 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ) of the first light source group ( 10 ) and the at least one light source ( 21 ) of the second light source group ( 20 ) are arranged on a common support ( 30 ).

6. The lighting unit of claim 5 , wherein the at least one light source ( 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ) of the first light source group ( 10 ) and the at least one light source ( 21 ) of the second light source group ( 20 ) are arranged on a flat area of the common support ( 30 ).

7. The lighting unit of claim 1 , wherein the first light source group ( 10 ) comprises two or more light sources ( 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ).

8. The lighting unit of claim 7 , wherein the first light source group ( 10 ) comprises exactly four light sources ( 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ).

9. The lighting unit of claim 1 , wherein the second light source group ( 20 ) comprises exactly one light source ( 21 ).

10. The lighting unit of claim 7 , wherein the light sources ( 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ) of the first light source group ( 10 ) are arranged around the at least one light source ( 21 ) of the second light source group ( 20 ).

11. The lighting unit of claim 10 , wherein the at least one light source ( 21 ) of the second light source group ( 20 ) is arranged in a center of the two or more light sources ( 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ) of the first light source group ( 10 ).

12. The lighting unit of claim 8 , wherein the four light sources ( 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ) of the first light source group ( 10 ) are arranged at the corners of a virtual rectangle or square.

13. The lighting unit of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first type of optics element ( 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 ) of the first light source group ( 10 ) are formed to produce a wide optical illumination in the vertical or the horizontal direction in a center of the first type of optical element ( 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 ).

14. The lighting unit of claim 7 , wherein two or more of the first type of optics element ( 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 ) of the first light source group ( 10 ) are formed identically in terms of their irradiation behavior.

15. The lighting unit of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the second type of optics element ( 121 ) of the second light source group ( 20 ) are formed to produce a wide optical illumination in the horizontal direction in a center of the second type of optics element ( 121 ).

16. The lighting unit of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the second type of optics element ( 121 ) of the second light source group ( 20 ) are formed to produce parallel light beams in the vertical direction.

17. The lighting unit of claim 1 , wherein the light sources ( 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 21 ) are LED light sources, wherein each LED light source ( 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 21 ) comprises at least one light-emitting diode.

18. The lighting unit of claim 17 , wherein each LED light source ( 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 21 ) is separately controllable and separately dimmable.

19. A vehicle headlight comprising one or more lighting units according to claim 1 .

20. The vehicle headlight of claim 19 , wherein the one or more lighting units comprises four lighting units.

21. The vehicle headlight of claim 20 , wherein the four lighting units ( 1 ) are arranged at the corners of a virtual rectangle or square.

22. The vehicle headlight of claim 19 , wherein all of the lighting units ( 1 ) have a substantially identical structure.

23. The lighting unit of claim 18 , wherein e

Assignees

• Zizala Lichtsysteme Gmbh
• Zkw Group Gmbh

Inventors

• Seyrlehner Christian
• Bauer Andreas
• Eichinger Bernd

Classifications

• F21S41/153

  arranged in a matrix · CPC title

• F21S43/241

  of complex shape · CPC title

• B60Q2400/30

  Daytime running lights [DRL], e.g. circuits or arrangements therefor · CPC title

• B60Q1/0041 Primary

  of several lamps in relation to each other · CPC title

• F21S43/315

  using total internal reflection · CPC title