Circuit assembly, lighting device, and vehicle headlight

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11262045-B2
Application number	US-201916967569-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2019
Priority date	Feb 6, 2018
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

The invention relates to a circuit assembly (1) comprising a printed circuit board (2), at least one micromirror component (3) which is connected to the printed circuit board (2) for modulating a light beam oriented towards the micromirror component (3), a cooling body which is thermally connected to the at least one micromirror component (3), and a current regulating unit (5). The micromirror component (3) has a heating element (3a) which can be controlled by the current regulating unit (5), and the current regulating unit (5) is electrically connected to the heating element (3a) in order to actuate same. The current regulating unit (5) is additionally connected to the micromirror component (3) via a thermal connection to the cooling body (4) in order to transfer heat losses occurring on the current regulating unit (5).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A circuit assembly ( 1 ) comprising:
a printed circuit board ( 2 );
at least one micromirror component ( 3 ) connected to the printed circuit board ( 2 ) and configured to modulate a light beam of a light source directed onto the micromirror component ( 3 );
a cooling body ( 4 ) thermally connected to the at least one micromirror component ( 3 );
a current regulating unit ( 5 );
a support frame configured to be connected to a vehicle headlight housing; and
spring elements,
wherein a heating element ( 3 a ) is assigned to the micromirror component ( 3 ), which heating element is configured to be controlled by the current regulating unit ( 5 ) and is thermally connected to the micromirror component ( 3 ),
wherein the current regulating unit ( 5 ) is electrically connected to the heating element and configured to actuate the heating element,
wherein the current regulating unit ( 5 ) is also connected to the cooling body ( 4 ) by way of a thermal connection to the micromirror component ( 3 ) and configured to transfer heat loss occurring at the current regulating unit ( 5 ),
wherein the printed circuit board ( 2 ) is arranged between the cooling body ( 4 ) and the support frame ( 6 ), and the support frame ( 6 ) has positioning means ( 6 a ) configured to establish the position of the micromirror component ( 3 ) with respect to the support frame ( 6 ),
wherein the cooling body ( 4 ) is connected to the support frame ( 6 ) by a screw connection ( 7 ) such that the printed circuit board ( 2 ) can be fixed in its position with respect to the support frame ( 6 ) by the cooling body ( 4 ), and the cooling body ( 4 ) can be relocated along the screw connection, and
wherein the spring elements ( 8 ) press the cooling body ( 4 ) in the direction of the support frame ( 6 ).

2. The circuit assembly ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board ( 2 ) has an opening ( 2 a ), through which a heat conduction element ( 4 a ) extends from the micromirror component ( 3 ) to the cooling body ( 4 ) for purposes of heat transfer.

3. The circuit assembly ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the heating element ( 3 a ) is integrated into the micromirror component ( 3 ).

4. The circuit assembly ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the current regulating unit ( 5 ) is arranged on the side of the printed circuit board ( 3 ) facing towards the cooling body ( 4 ).

5. The circuit assembly ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the current regulating unit ( 5 ) is arranged on the side of the printed circuit board ( 3 ) facing away from the cooling body ( 4 ).

6. The circuit assembly ( 1 ) according to claim 5 , wherein the current regulating unit ( 5 ) is thermally connected to the cooling body ( 4 ) by way of at least one heat conducting means ( 2 b ) extending through the printed circuit board ( 2 ), in particular at least one heat conducting via.

7. The circuit assembly ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the current regulating unit ( 5 ) is a linearly regulated current regulating unit.

8. The circuit assembly ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein all electronic components ( 3 , 5 ) of the circuit assembly ( 1 ) are SMD components.

9. The circuit assembly ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein at least one socket ( 9 ) is provided on the printed circuit board ( 2 ), for purposes of accommodating the at least one micromirror component ( 3 ).

10. The circuit assembly ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the current regulating unit ( 5 ) is arranged at a maximum distance (d) of 3 cm from the micromirror component ( 3 ).

11. A lighting device, comprising:
the circuit assembly ( 1 ) according to claim 1 ;
a light source; and
at least one imaging optic for purposes of imaging the light emitted by the lighting element into a predeterminable light distribution,
wherein the light source, the micromirror component ( 3 ) and the imaging optics are arranged in such a way that light emitted by the light source can be deflected by way of the micromirror component ( 3 ) towards the at least one imaging optics.

12. A motor vehicle headlight comprising the lighting device according to claim 11 .

Assignees

• Zkw Group Gmbh

Inventors

• Mitterlehner Thomas

Classifications

• F21S45/47 Primary

  Passive cooling, e.g. using fins, thermal conductive elements or openings · CPC title

• H05B3/845 Primary

  specially adapted for reflecting surfaces, e.g. bathroom - or rearview mirrors · CPC title

• H05B3/0019

  Circuit arrangements · CPC title

• F21S41/36

  Combinations of two or more separate reflectors · CPC title

• F21S41/675

  by moving reflectors · CPC title