Led headlamp with refractive interface creating cut-off for vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017336042-A1
Application number	US-201715598847-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 18, 2017
Priority date	May 18, 2016
Publication date	Nov 23, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a lighting module for an automobile headlamp that is able to emit a cut-off light beam along a predetermined optical axis. The lighting module includes a light source for generating a beam and an optical element for receiving the beam generated by the light source and configured to form from this beam the cut-off light beam. The optical element has a collimator configured to receive the beam generated by the light source and to collimate this beam into a collimated beam. An optical coupler is configured to couple the collimated beam into a coupled beam in a lightguide. A cut-off means is disposed within the lightguide on the path of the rays of the coupled beam and configured to intercept a portion of the rays in the lightguide and to form a cut-off beam. At least one output face of the lightguide is configured to project the cut-off beam outside of the optical element, and the optical element is formed as a single part.

First claim

1 . Lighting module for an automobile headlamp, able to emit a cut-off light beam along a predetermined optical axis, said lighting module comprising:
a light source for generating a beam, an optical element for receiving the beam generated by the light source and configured to form from this beam said cut-off light beam, said optical element comprising: a collimator configured to receive the beam generated by the light source and to collimate this beam into a collimated beam, an optical coupler configured to couple the collimated beam into a coupled beam in a lightguide, a cut-off means disposed within said lightguide on the path of the rays of the coupled beam and configured to intercept a portion of said rays in the lightguide and to form a cut-off beam, and at least one output face of said lightguide configured to project said cut-off beam outside of the optical element, and characterized in that the optical element is formed as a single part.

2 . Lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein said lightguide has a substantially constant thickness.

3 . Lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein said cut-off means forms a step in the lightguide, said step forming an angle with a horizontal portion and with an inclined portion.

4 . Lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein said collimator is a solid of revolution having an axis of revolution and comprises one or more reflective surfaces.

5 . Lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein said collimator comprises a lens, a reflector, a refractor, or a collimation means of the convex or convex type.

6 . Lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein said optical coupler comprises a plurality of reflective faces, each of said reflective faces in particular having a section in the shape of a polynomial segment, especially parabolic.

7 . Lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein said optical coupler is configured to split the collimated beam into three separate sub-light-beams, each emitted at 90° with respect to each other.

8 . Lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein said light source comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes disposed on the same plane, said plane being disposed under said collimator and/or under the cut-off means with respect to said optical axis.

9 . Lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein said lightguide has an upper face and a lower face joined together by an edge face, said upper face and said lower face extending in planes which are substantially parallel to one another.

10 . Lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein said lightguide comprises at least one reflective face configured to receive a portion of the rays of the beam coupled by the optical coupler and for reflecting and focusing these rays onto the cut-off means.

11 . Lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein the distance separating the distal ray of said cut-off beam and said optical axis is equal to or less than 10 mm.

12 . Headlamp (P 1 ) comprising several lighting modules according to claim 1 , wherein several of said modules are juxtaposed, preferably five of said modules, in order to generate a beam, said resulting beam following the direction of an optical axis (O) of one of said modules.

13 . Headlamp according to claim 1 , wherein the output faces of each of said modules are combined into a single smooth, continuous surface, especially an outer lens common to said several modules.

14 . Headlamp according to claim 13 , wherein said modules are configured to produce a fixed bending light function and/or a cornering function with a light flux equal to or greater than 200 lumens.

15 . Lighting module according to claim 2 , wherein said cut-off means forms a step in the lightguide, said step forming an angle with a horizontal portion and with an inclined portion.

16 . Lighting module according to claim 3 , wherein said collimator is a solid of revolution having an axis of revolution and comprises one or more reflective surfaces.

17 . Lighting module according to claim 4 , wherein said collimator comprises a lens, a reflector, a refractor, or a collimation means of the convex or convex type.

18 . Lighting module according to claim 5 , wherein said optical coupler comprises a plurality of reflective faces, each of said reflective faces in particular having a section in the shape of a polynomial segment, especially parabolic.

19 . Lighting module according to claim 6 , wherein said optical coupler is configured to split the collimated beam into three separate sub-light-beams, each emitted at 90° with respect to each other.

20 . Lighting module according to claim 7 , wherein said light source comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes disposed on the same plane, said plane being disposed under said collimator and/or under the cut-off means with respect to said optical axis.

Assignees

• Valeo Vision

Inventors

• Laminette Maxime
• Doha Jean-Francois
• Floch Lionel

Classifications

• F21S41/151

  arranged in one or more lines · CPC title

• F21S41/365

  successively reflecting the light · CPC title

• F21S41/24

  Light guides · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• B60Q2300/42

  oncoming vehicle · CPC title