Illumination device for a motor vehicle headlamp

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12187182-B2
Application number	US-202218575521-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2022
Priority date	Jul 1, 2021
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

Illumination device ( 10 ) for a motor vehicle headlamp, wherein the illumination device ( 10 ) comprising: at least one light module ( 20 ) configured to illuminate light along a light path in a main direction (X),—a movable lower light guide element ( 100 ) and a movable upper light guide element ( 200 ),—a motion device for a movement of the lower and upper light guide element ( 100, 200 ) with respect to each other between—a closed position (PI), wherein the lower and upper light guide element ( 100, 200 ) are—as seen in the main direction (X)—in front of the at least one light module ( 20 ) at least partially blocking the light path of the at least one light module ( 20 ), wherein the lower and upper light guide element ( 100, 200 ) are configured to emit light in the main direction (X), when in the closed position (PI), and an opened position (P 2 ), wherein the lower and upper light guide element ( 100, 200 ) are moved away from the light path of the at least one light module to unblock the light path of the at least one light module ( 20 ), while maintaining their spatial orientation,—a frame ( 600 ), which is stationary in relation to the movement of the lower and upper light guide element ( 100, 200 ), wherein the motion mechanism is mounted on the frame ( 600 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An illumination device ( 10 ) for a motor vehicle headlamp, the illumination device ( 10 ) comprising:
at least one light module ( 20 ) configured to illuminate light along a light path in a main direction (X);
a movable lower light guide element ( 100 ) and a movable upper light guide element ( 200 );
a motion device for a movement of the lower and upper light guide element ( 100 , 200 ) with respect to each other between
a closed position (P 1 ), wherein the lower and upper light guide element ( 100 , 200 ) are—as seen in the main direction (X)—in front of the at least one light module ( 20 ) at least partially blocking the light path of the at least one light module ( 20 ), wherein the lower and upper light guide element ( 100 , 200 ) are configured to emit light in the main direction (X), when in the closed position (P 1 ), and
an opened position (P 2 ), wherein the lower and upper light guide element ( 100 , 200 ) are moved away from the light path of the at least one light module to unblock the light path of the at least one light module ( 20 ),

while maintaining their spatial orientation; and
a frame ( 600 ), which is stationary in relation to the movement of the lower and upper light guide element ( 100 , 200 ), wherein the motion mechanism is mounted on the frame ( 600 ),

wherein the motion device comprises:
a lower motion mechanism for a movement of the lower light guide element ( 100 ) between the closed and opened position (P 1 , P 2 ), said lower motion mechanism comprises:
a first lower motion element ( 310 ) with at least two bearing points, wherein the first lower motion element ( 310 ) is pivotably connected to the frame ( 600 ) via a fixed bearing point ( 310 a ) and pivotably connected to the lower light guide element ( 100 ) via a floating bearing point ( 310 b ), wherein the floating bearing point ( 310 b ) has a distance to the fixed bearing point ( 310 a ) on the first lower motion element ( 310 ) and is movable along a circular path around a first rotation axis (Y 1 ) determined by the fixed bearing point ( 310 a ) with a determined radius (R 1 ) given by the distance between the floating bearing point ( 310 b ) to the fixed bearing point ( 310 a ), and
a second lower motion element ( 320 ) with at least two bearing points, wherein the second lower motion element ( 320 ) is pivotably connected to the frame ( 600 ) via a fixed bearing point ( 320 a ) and pivotably connected to the lower light guide element ( 100 ) via a floating bearing point ( 320 b ), wherein the floating bearing point ( 320 b ) has a distance to the fixed bearing point ( 320 a ) on the second lower motion element ( 320 ) and is movable along a circular path around a second rotation axis (Y 2 ) determined by the fixed bearing point ( 320 a ) with a determined radius (R 1 ) given by the distance between the floating bearing point ( 320 b ) to the fixed bearing point ( 320 a ),
wherein the first and second rotation axis (Y 1 , Y 2 ) are orthogonal to the main direction (X) and are parallel to each other, wherein distance of the floating bearing point ( 310 b , 320 b ) and the fixed bearing point ( 310 a , 320 a ) of the first and second lower motion element ( 310 , 320 ) is the same, and wherein the circular paths of the first and second lower motion elements ( 310 , 320 ) are spatially separated, but are identical, so that the first and second lower motion element ( 310 , 320 ) have the same deflection, and wherein the floating bearing points ( 310 b , 320 b ) of the first and second lower motion element ( 310 , 320 ) are arranged and movable above the respective fixed bearing points ( 310 a , 320 a ) viewed in an installed state of the illumination device ( 10 ) in a motor vehicle,
wherein the first lower motion element ( 310 ) is mechanically engaged with a drive device ( 500 ) configured to move the first lower motion element ( 310 ), and wherein the first and second lower motion elements ( 310 , 320 ) are connected via the lower light guide element ( 100 ) in a way, so that the first and second lower motion elements ( 310 , 320 ) are movable by the same deflection about their respective fixed bearing point ( 310 a , 320 a ) when the first lower motion element ( 310 ) is moved by the drive device ( 500 ), and
wherein the first and second lower motion element ( 310 , 320 ) are movable between a first deflection and a second deflection, causing the movement of the lower light guide element ( 100 ) between the closed and opened position (P 1 , P 2 ), while the lower light guide element ( 100 ) maintaining its spatial orientation due to the same radius (R 1 ) and deflection of the first and second lower motion elements ( 310 , 320 ), wherein the lower light guide element ( 100 ) is in the closed position (P 1 ), when the first and second lower motion elements ( 310 , 320 ) are aligned in the first deflection, and wherein the lower light guide element ( 100 ) is in the opened position (P 2 ), when the first and second lower motion element ( 310 , 320 ) are aligned in the second deflection,

an upper motion mechanism to movement of the upper light guide element ( 200 ) between the closed and opened position (P 1 , P 2 ), wherein said upper motion mechanism comprises:
a first upper motion element ( 410 ) with at least two bearing points, wherein the first upper transition element ( 410 ) is pivotably connected to the frame ( 600 ) via a fixed bearing point ( 410 a ) and pivotably connected to the upper light guide element ( 200 ) via a floating bearing point ( 410 b ), wherein the floating bearing point ( 410 b ) has a distance to the fixed bearing point ( 410 a ) on the first upper motion element ( 410 ) and is movable along a circular path around a third rotation axis (Y 3 ) determined by the fixed bearing point ( 410 a ) with a determined radius (R 2 ) given by the distance between the floating bearing point ( 410 b ) to the fixed bearing point ( 410 a ), and
a second upper motion element ( 420 ) with at least two bearing points, wherein the second upper motion element ( 420 ) is pivotably connected to the frame ( 600 ) via a fixed bearing point ( 420 a ) and pivotably connected to the upper light guide element ( 200 ) via a floating bearing point ( 420 b ), wherein the floating bearing point ( 420 b ) has a distance to the fixed bearing point ( 420 a ) on the second upper motion element ( 420 ) and is movable along a circular path around a fourth rotation axis (Y 4 ) determined by the fixed bearing point ( 420 a ) with a determined radius (R 2 ) given by the distance between the floating bearing point ( 420 b ) to the fixed bearing point ( 420 a ), and

wherein the third and fourth rotation axis (Y 3 , Y 4 ) are parallel to each other and to the first and second rotation axis (Y 1 , Y 2 ), wherein the first and second upper motion element ( 410 , 420 ) having the same radius (R 2 ), and wherein the circular paths of the first and second upper motion elements ( 410 , 420 ) are spatially separated, but are congruent, so that the first and second upper motion element ( 410 , 420 ) have the same deflection, and wherein the floating bearing points ( 410 b , 420 b ) of the first and second upper motion element ( 410 , 420 ) are arranged and movable below the respective fixed bearing points ( 410 a , 420 a ) viewed in an installed state of the illumination device ( 10 ) in a motor vehicle,
wherein the first upper motion element ( 410 ) is mechanically engaged with the second lower motion element ( 320 ) in a first transmission connection in a way, so that a rotational movement of the second lower motion element ( 320 ) around its fixed bearing point ( 320 a ) is transformed into a rotational movement of the first upper motion element ( 410 ) around its fixed bea

Assignees

• Zkw Group Gmbh

Inventors

• Maier Andreas
• Kern Matthias
• Poschenreither Rene
• Amundsson Lars
• Gaiswinkler Daniel

Classifications

• F21S41/24

  Light guides · CPC title

• B60Q1/2692

  retractable lights (retractable headlights B60Q1/05) · CPC title

• B60Q1/0058 Primary

  Stacked, i.e. one lamp located behind the other in the optical axis direction · CPC title

• B60Q2400/30

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

• F21S41/635 Primary

  by moving refractors, filters or transparent cover plates · CPC title