LED light-source module for a vehicle headlight

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9618174-B2
Application number	US-201214237718-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2012
Priority date	Aug 8, 2011
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to an LED light-source module (M, M 1 -M 4 ) for an LED motor vehicle headlight (SW), in particular for an LED motor vehicle headlight (SW) for producing a dynamic light distribution, wherein the LED light-source module (M) comprises two or more LED light sources (LEQ), wherein one LED light source (LEQ) in each case comprises at least one light-emitting diode (LED 1 , LED 2 ), and wherein the light-emitting diodes (LED 1 , LED 2 ) of each LED light source (LEQ) couple light into an associated primary optical element (P 1 -P 4 ), wherein the incoupled light exits, at least partially, through a light exit surface (L 1 -L 4 ) of the primary optical element (P 1 -P 4 ), and wherein the light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ) of the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) of an LED light-source module (M) are connected to one another by means of a light-permeable material such that light coupled into the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) can enter the light-permeable material and can then exit this material through a light exit surface (LF 1 , LF 2 ) of the light-permeable material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An LED light-source module (M, M 1 -M 4 ) for an LED motor vehicle headlight (SW) for producing a dynamic light distribution, comprising:
two or more LED light sources (LEQ),
wherein one LED light source (LEQ) in each case comprises at least one light-emitting diode (LED 1 , LED 2 ), and wherein the light-emitting diodes (LED 1 , LED 2 ) of each LED light source (LEQ) couple light into an associated primary optical element (P 1 -P 4 ), wherein the incoupled light then exits, at least partially, through a light exit surface (L 1 -L 4 ) of the primary optical element (P 1 -P 4 ),
wherein the light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ) of the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) of an LED light-source module (M; M 1 , M 2 , M 3 , M 4 ) are disposed next to one another with horizontal separation (A) that forms a void between each of the light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ) of the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) and
at least one substantially horizontally extending connecting web (VS 1 , VS 2 ) made of a light-permeable material connects the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) in an upper and/or lower region of the light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ) thereof, but not within the void between each of the light exiting surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ), to maintain the horizontal separation (A) and void between the light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ),
such that light coupled into the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) can enter the light-permeable material of the at least one connecting web (VS 1 , VS 2 ) and then exit the light-permeable material through a light exit surface (LF 1 , LF 2 ) of the at least one connecting web (VS 1 , VS 2 ).

2. The LED light-source module according to claim 1 , wherein the light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ) of the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) lie in a common surface, and the light exit surface (LF 1 , LF 2 ) of the light-permeable material also lies in the common surface of the light exit surfaces of the primary optical elements.

3. The LED light-source module according to claim 1 , wherein the light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ) of the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) are connected to one another in an upper and/or lower region.

4. The LED light-source module according to claim 1 , wherein two substantially horizontally extending connecting webs (VS 1 , VS 2 ) made of the light-permeable material connect the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) to one another in the upper and lower region of the light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ) thereof.

5. The LED light-source module according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one connecting web (VS 1 , VS 2 ) is formed as one piece with the light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ) of the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) or with the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ).

6. The LED light-source module according to claim 1 , wherein the light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ) of the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) and those of the at least one connecting web (VS 1 -VS 2 ) form a common light exit surface.

7. The LED light-source module according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one connecting web (VS 1 , VS 2 ) extends upwardly/downwardly in the vertical direction beyond the light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ) of the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) by a certain height (h 1 , h 2 ).

8. The LED light-source module according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one connecting web (VS 1 , VS 2 ) extends in the horizontal direction, laterally beyond the light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ) of the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) by a certain length ( 11 , 12 ).

9. The LED light-source module according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one connecting web (VS 1 , VS 2 ) extends in the horizontal direction toward the rear in the direction of the light sources (LEQ) and is connected to the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) along a certain extension (ES).

10. The LED light-source module according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one connecting web (VS 1 ) tapers in the direction of the light-incoupling points (LK 1 -LK 4 ) of the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ).

11. The LED light-source module according to claim 1 , wherein the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) expand from the light-incoupling points (LK 1 -LK 4 ) thereof toward the light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ), wherein the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) expand to a greater extent in the downward extension thereof than in the upward extension thereof.

12. The LED light-source module according to claim 1 , wherein the light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ) of the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) are rectangular.

13. The LED light-source module according to claim 1 , wherein all the light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ) have an identical shape.

14. The LED light-source module according to claim 1 , wherein the light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ) of the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) are disposed parallel to one another and with identical orientation.

15. The LED light-source module according to claim 1 , wherein a secondary optical unit (S 1 , S 2 , S 3 , S 4 ) is associated with the LED light-source module (M; M 1 , M 2 , M 3 , M 4 ), and wherein, when the headlight (SW) is installed in a vehicle, the secondary optical unit images the light segments produced by the light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ) of the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) in a region located in front of the vehicle.

16. The LED light-source module according to claim 1 , wherein the light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ) are oriented upright in the vertical direction, having a greater height (h) than width (b).

17. The LED light-source module according to claim 1 , wherein adjacent light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ) of the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) of an LED light-source module (M; M 1 , M 2 , M 3 , M 4 ) have a normal separation (A) from one another, which corresponds to the width (B) of one light exit surface (L 1 -L 4 ).

18. The LED light-source module according to claim 1 , wherein, in the case of three or more primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ), the separations (A) between light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ) of adjacent primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) are identical.

19. The LED light-source module according to claim 1 , wherein the extension of the at least one connecting web (VS 1 , VS 2 ) downwardly/upwardly and/or the extension of the at least one connecting web (VS 1 , VS 2 ) laterally beyond the light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ) of the primary optical elements and/or the extension of the at least one connecting web (VS 1 , VS 2 ) in the horizontal direction toward the rear is/are selected such that the desired extent of homogeneity of the light pattern and the desired extent of the reduction of the maximum in the light distribution are achieved.

20. An LED motor vehicle headlight (SW) for producing a dynamic light distribution, comprising:
two or more LED light-source modules (M; M 1 , M 2 , M 3 , M 4 ) according to claim 1 , wherein a secondary optical unit ( 51 , S 2 , S 3 , S 4 ) is associated with each of the LED light-source modules (M; M 1 , M 2 , M 3 , M 4 ), and wherein, when the headlight (SW) is installed in a vehicle, the secondary optical unit images the light segments produced by the light exit surfaces (L 1 -L 4 ) of the primary optical elements (P 1 -P 4 ) in a region located in front of the vehicle.

21. The headlight according to claim 20 , wherein the secondary optical elements (S 1 , S 2 , S 3 , S 4 ) of the LED light-source modules (M; M 1 , M 2 , M 3 , M 4 ) and the arrangement of the light exit sur

Assignees

• Jungwirth Johannes
• Moser Andreas
• Krenn Günther
• Zkw Group Gmbh

Inventors

• Jungwirth Johannes
• Moser Andreas
• Krenn Günther

Classifications

• F21S41/151

  arranged in one or more lines · CPC title

• F21S41/24

  Light guides · CPC title

• F21S41/663

  by switching light sources (by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162) · CPC title

• F21S48/1241

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F21S48/1747

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic