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EP-2808201-B1 - Lighting and/or signalling device and optical unit for motor vehicle including said device

EP2808201B1EP 2808201 B1EP2808201 B1EP 2808201B1EP-2808201-B1

Inventors

  • GODBILLON, VINCENT
  • PUENTE, JEAN-CLAUDE

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20140526

Claims (14)

  1. Optical unit, particularly for a motor vehicle, comprising a lighting and/or signaling device comprising at least two sources (1-6) of luminous flux (F1-F6) and at least two optical guides (T1-T6) of luminous flux (F1-F6) having different longitudinal extensions from one another, and located so that each of said sources (1-6) emits its luminous flux (F1-F6) into one of said optical guides (T1-T6), said optical guides (T1-T6) being made of a material capable of absorbing part of the luminous flux (F1-F6) it transmits, said device being configured to correct an intensity of the luminous fluxes (F1-F6) at the output of said optical guides (T1-T6), the use of the correction of the intensity of the emitted fluxes, to homogenize the luminous fluxes transmitted by the different optical guides (T1-T6) of said fluxes within said optical unit (10), allowing to homogenize the rendered appearance, characterized in that the optical unit comprises a plurality of identical sources (1-6) of luminous flux (F1-F6), and wherein said sources (1-6) of luminous flux (F1-F6) comprise a correction means capable of adapting the amount of current supplied to light generating means (1'-6') of each of said sources (1-6), so that the input flux of each optical guide (T1-T6) is such that the output fluxes of said guides (T1-T6) are identical.
  2. Optical unit, particularly for a motor vehicle, comprising a lighting and/or signaling device comprising at least two sources (1-6) of luminous flux (F1-F6) and at least two optical guides (T1-T6) of luminous flux (F1-F6) having different longitudinal extensions from one another, and located so that each of said sources (1-6) emits its luminous flux (F1-F6) into one of said optical guides (T1-T6), said optical guides (T1-T6) being made of a material capable of absorbing part of the luminous flux (F1-F6) it transmits, said device being configured to correct an intensity of the luminous fluxes (F1-F6) at the output of said optical guides (T1-T6), the use of the correction of the intensity of the emitted fluxes, to homogenize the luminous fluxes transmitted by the different optical guides (T1-T6) of said fluxes within said optical unit (10), allowing to homogenize the rendered appearance, characterized in that the optical unit comprises a plurality of different sources (1-6) of luminous flux (F1-F6), so that the luminous flux (F1-F6) they emit is different, so that the input flux of each optical guide (T1-T6) is such that the output fluxes of said guides (T1-T6) are identical.
  3. Optical unit, particularly for a motor vehicle, comprising a lighting and/or signaling device comprising at least two sources (1-6) of luminous flux (F1-F6) and at least two optical guides (T1-T6) of luminous flux (F1-F6) having different longitudinal extensions from one another, and located so that each of said sources (1-6) emits its luminous flux (F1-F6) into one of said optical guides (T1-T6), said optical guides (T1-T6) being made of a material capable of absorbing part of the luminous flux (F1-F6) it transmits, said device being configured to correct an intensity of the luminous fluxes (F1-F6) at the output of said optical guides (T1-T6), the use of the correction of the intensity of the emitted fluxes, to homogenize the luminous fluxes transmitted by the different optical guides (T1-T6) of said fluxes within said optical unit (10), allowing to homogenize the rendered appearance, characterized in that the optical unit comprises a correction means adapted to at least a part of at least one of the optical guides (T1-T6) of luminous flux (F1-F6), said correction means being configured to absorb light so that the optical guide(s) (T1-T6) receiving said correction means transmit a reduced quantity of luminous flux (F1-F6), leading to identical luminosity fluxes at the output of the optical guides (T1-T6).
  4. Optical unit, particularly for a motor vehicle, comprising a lighting and/or signaling device comprising at least two sources (1-6) of luminous flux (F1-F6) and at least two optical guides (T1-T6) of luminous flux (F1-F6) having different longitudinal extensions from one another, and located so that each of said sources (1-6) emits its luminous flux (F1-F6) into one of said optical guides (T1-T6), said optical guides (T1-T6) being made of a material capable of absorbing part of the luminous flux (F1-F6) it transmits, said device being configured to correct an intensity of the luminous fluxes (F1-F6) at the output of said optical guides (T1-T6), the use of the correction of the intensity of the emitted fluxes, to homogenize the luminous fluxes transmitted by the different optical guides (T1-T6) of said fluxes within said optical unit (10), allowing to homogenize the rendered appearance, characterized in that the optical unit is configured such that each of the optical guides (T1-T6) of luminous flux (F1-F6), positioned facing one of said sources (1-6), is defocused from said source (1-6), along a longitudinal axis of said optical guide (T1-T6), and/or along an axis perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, so that the sources are progressively defocused along a longitudinal axis of said optical guide, or along an axis perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, leading to identical luminosity fluxes at the output of the optical guides.
  5. Optical unit according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said sources (1-6) of luminous flux (F1-F6), and/or said optical guides (T1-T6) are configured to correct an intensity of the luminous fluxes (F1-F6) at the output of said optical guides (T1-T6).
  6. Optical unit according to claim 1, wherein said correction means is an electronic component, in particular an electric dipole (R1-R6).
  7. Optical unit according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sources (1-6) of luminous flux (F1-F6) comprise one or more light-emitting diodes (1'-6').
  8. Optical unit according to claim 3, wherein said correction means is in the form of an addition of material, capable of absorbing part of the luminous flux (F1-F6) passing through it, said material being injected into at least a part (Z1-Z6) of at least one of said optical guides (T1-T6).
  9. Optical unit according to the preceding claim, wherein said material (M1-M6) is injected at the ends facing the light sources (1-6).
  10. Optical unit according to one of claims 8 or 9, wherein said material (M1-M6) injected into at least a part (Z1-Z6) of at least one of the optical guides (T1-T6) is identical, or different for each of said optical guides (T1-T6) into which the material(s) is/are injected.
  11. Optical unit according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein said material (M1-M6) is injected into at least a part (Z1-Z6) of at least one of the optical guides (T1-T6) which is identical, or different for each of said optical guides (T1-T6) into which the material(s) is/are injected.
  12. Optical unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the optical guides are made of plastic material or glass.
  13. Optical unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said device comprises a means for controlling the amount of current supplied to said sources (1-6), said control means being capable of reducing the amount of current supplied to some of the luminous flux sources and/or increasing the amount of current supplied to another part of said sources, so that two adjacent sources do not emit the same luminous flux.
  14. Optical unit according to - claims 1 and 3, optionally together with one of claims 5 to 13, or claims 1 and 4, optionally together with one of claims 5 to 7, or 12 to 13, or claims 2 and 3, optionally together with one of claims 5, or 7 to 13, when they do not depend on claim 1, or claims 2 and 4, optionally together with one of claims 5, or 7, or 12 to 13, when they do not depend on claim 1, or claims 1 and 3 and 4, optionally together with one of claims 5 to 13, or - claims 2 and 3 and 4, optionally together with one of claims 5, or 7 to 13, when they do not depend on claim 1.

Description

The present invention relates to a lighting and/or signaling device, particularly for motor vehicles, and an optical unit comprising said device. It is specifically intended for position lights and/or daytime running lights, turn signals, or brake lights. In this area, manufacturers want to stand out, particularly with visually original elements, in order to be more easily identifiable compared to competitors. Recent technologies have been developed, featuring devices equipped with a light source, generally a light-emitting diode (LED), and a light guide through which a beam of light from the source propagates. The light travels through the guide by total internal reflection to an output face, which projects the light so that it can be seen by vehicles following or preceding it. In the automotive field, such devices are appreciated because they allow for a wide variety of shapes and types of light, combining original design, notable compactness, and luminous efficiency. On the other hand, it is possible to mount several guides of this type within the same optical block. However, these guides will have different lengths when mounted in an optical block with an unusual curvature. When several light guides, mounted in the same optical block, have different lengths, the brightness emitted by each varies relative to the others. Light guides are commonly made of a material that absorbs some of the light they transmit. The amount of light emitted therefore depends on the thickness of the material through which it passes. This results in a lack of homogeneity between the light propagated to the exit faces of the different light guides mounted within the same optical block, and having different lengths. Therefore, an automaker wishing to place multiple light guides within a single optical unit must ensure that the light flux transmitted by each guide is homogeneous. Otherwise, this leads to a unsightly appearance for users, especially when these light guides transmit a light flux of different colour and/or intensity. The document EP 2 476 947 A2 describes an optical block according to the preamble of claims 1 to 4. The invention aims to homogenize the luminous flux transmitted by several optical guides, within the same optical block, in particular when these optical guides have different lengths. The invention relates to an optical block comprising a lighting and/or signaling device, according to any one of independent claims 1 to 4. The dependent claims describe particular embodiments. For this purpose, the lighting and/or signaling device of the invention, in particular for motor vehicles, comprises at least two light flux sources and at least two optical light flux guides having a different longitudinal extension from each other, and located so that each of said sources emits its light flux into one of said optical guides, said optical guides being made of a material capable of absorbing part of the light flux it transmits, said device being configured to correct an intensity of the light fluxes at the output of said optical guides. Using a correction of the intensity of the emitted fluxes, to homogenize the luminous fluxes transmitted by the different optical guides of said fluxes within the same optical block, makes it possible to homogenize the rendered appearance. According to different embodiments of the invention, which may be considered together or separately: said light sources, and/or said optical guides are configured to correct the intensity of the light fluxes at the output of said optical guides, said optical guides have an entrance face, located so that each of said sources emits its luminous flux into one of said entrance faces, and an exit face of a luminous flux transmitted along said optical guides, said exit face and said entrance face being separated from each other by a distance corresponding to the respective longitudinal extension of said optical guides, The device of the invention comprises a plurality of identical light sources, said light sources comprising a correction means capable of adapting the quantity of current supplied to light-generating means for each of said sources, said device includes a common support means for said sources, preferably a plan said sources of luminous flux are positioned on an electrical circuit whose surface is preferably flat, said device includes a means for controlling the amount of current supplied to said sources. said control means is capable of reducing the amount of current supplied to one part of the luminous flux sources and/or increasing the amount of current supplied to another part of said sources, so that two adjacent sources do not emit the same luminous flux, said control means is configured such that two adjacent sources of luminous flux do not receive the same amount of current, and that, step by step, the amount of current supplied decreases, from the source opposite the longest optical guide, towards the source opposite the shortest