Lighting device for vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11014489-B2
Application number	US-202016780461-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2020
Priority date	Aug 1, 2017
Publication date	May 25, 2021
Grant date	May 25, 2021

Abstract

A lighting device for vehicles with a light source unit, having a plurality of first light sources and second light sources, an optical unit for generating at least two different light distributions containing a light panel and a diffusing structure. The first light source and the second light source are arranged at a distance from the light panel and/or the diffusing structure. The light panel and/or the diffusing structure are provided a diaphragm with apertures for the passage of light emitted by the first light source and/or the second light source, wherein a contour of the openings predefines a light signature for the light distributions. The second light source is designed as an additional light source, which is associated with an additional optical system for focusing the light emitted by the additional light source in the direction of a delimited region of the diaphragm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting device for vehicles, the lighting device comprising:
a light source unit comprising a first light source and second light source;
an optical unit for generating at least two different light distributions containing a light panel having a diffusing structure;
wherein the first light source and the second light source are arranged at a distance to the light panel,
wherein the light panel is provided with a diaphragm having apertures for the passage of light emitted by the first light source and/or the second light source,
wherein a contour of the apertures predefines a light signature of the light distributions,
wherein the second light source is designed as an additional light source, which is associated with an additional optical system for focusing the light emitted by the additional light source in a direction of a delimited region of the diaphragm, the delimited region of the diaphragm being smaller than an area that is illuminated by the first light source so that a second light distribution is generated which differs from a first light distribution by having a higher intensity than an intensity provided by the first light distribution, and
wherein the light panel is positioned between the light source unit and the diaphragm.

2. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein the additional optical system is formed such that the intensity of the light focused by the additional optical system is greater than the intensity of the light focused by a base optical system, which is associated with the first light source, or the intensity of the light focused by the additional optical system is greater than the intensity of the light which is emitted by the first light source directly to the light panel without the provision of the base optical system.

3. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein an optical axis of the additional optical system and of the additional light source extends through the aperture associated with the additional light source.

4. The lighting device according to claim 2 , wherein the base optical system is formed such that light emitted by the first light source is deflected for the homogeneous illumination of several apertures.

5. The lighting device according to claim 2 , wherein the base optical system and/or the additional optical system are designed as a light panel or as a reflector.

6. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein the first light source is disposed oriented perpendicular to the main emission direction and a reflector associated with the first light source extends in an arcuate shape, wherein the reflector, in projection onto the diaphragm, covers all apertures with the exception of the aperture associated with the additional light source and wherein the reflector has a recess which, in projection onto the diaphragm, covers the aperture associated with the additional light source.

7. The lighting device according to claim 6 , wherein the reflector has a main section for deflecting the light emitted by the first light source and an additional section for deflecting the light emitted by the additional light source or that the additional optical system is arranged offset to the recess or in the recess in the main emission direction.

8. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein the diffusing structure is applied on the light panel and is formed as an EDM, etched or laser structure or as a calculated diffractive diffuser optics.

9. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm is fixedly connected to the light panel and a cover plate is arranged in the main emission direction in front of the light panel, which closes off a housing that accommodates the light source unit and the optical unit.

10. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein the first light source and the second light source are operated independent of one another and with a different intensity in order to enable a completely homogeneous illumination of all apertures or a higher intensity illumination of the delimited region associated with the second light source or wherein only the second light source is operable for the partial illumination of the delimited region associated with the second light source.

11. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein the first light source and the second light source are both disposed on a same flat support plate.

Assignees

• Hella Gmbh & Co Kgaa

Inventors

• Muegge Martin

Classifications

• F21S43/28131

  Structures comprising multiple layers · CPC title

• F21S43/2811

  Heterogeneous materials · CPC title

• F21S43/26

  Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255 · CPC title

• F21W2103/10

  Position lights · CPC title

• F21W2103/35

  Brake lights · CPC title