FR3127036A1 - Motor vehicle lighting and/or signaling device. - Google Patents

Abstract

Lighting and/or signaling device (12) for a motor vehicle, comprising a lens (40) defining a protuberance (47) having a first (PLD) and a second (PLG) side walls facing outwards and a front (FAV) respectively connecting the first and second side walls (PLD, PLG) with a closed angle (α) and an open angle (β), the opaque layer (42) covering the inside of the protrusion (47) at the exception of a translucent window (43), ending on the internal face of the front face (FAV) presenting, in the closed angle (α), an inclined plane (50) defining a reflective facet at the edge of the window (43) for incident rays (R) scattered by the light guide (52) through the translucent window (43); said incident rays (R), reflected by said facet (50), leaving the window (43) at a determined angle included in the regulatory lateral visibility angle. (Figure 4)

Description

Motor vehicle lighting and/or signaling device.

The invention relates in general to motor vehicle lighting and/or signaling devices and is more particularly concerned with a lighting and/or light signaling device whose main function is to signal the position of the daytime vehicle. . Such devices, designated DRL for Daytime Running Light (or Lamp) in English, meaning daytime running light, perform a signaling function automatically lit when the vehicle is put into operation, by day, to improve the visibility of said vehicle. These devices are mainly installed on at least one of the corners of a motor vehicle, generally on the two corners of the front face of a motor vehicle on either side of the grille, being integrated into the front bumper. of the vehicle.

According to the state of the art, a lighting and/or signaling device comprises, in a known manner, a box closed by a wall, designated glass, consisting more precisely of a two-color glass, having a base opaque to light and at least a translucent, transparent, opaline or colored part or window. The case receives at least one light source and a light guide capable of homogeneously diffusing the light emitted by the light source through the translucent window provided in said glass, towards the outside of said case (outwards from the vehicle). Such windows, depending on their shape, their number and their positioning, also make it possible to confer a light signature characteristic of the vehicle concerned.

These windows must comply with a photometric grid imposed by the regulations and in particular the European directives ECE R87 and R85. In an automobile lighting and/or signaling function, said function must satisfy a regulatory photometric grid imposing a certain quantity of light (photons) in very specific directions.

In the field of traffic lights, it is imperative that they be seen by the various actors present around the vehicle, namely: other motor vehicles as well as cycles and pedestrians. Thus, the angles of visibility of a traffic light are defined with regard to minimum values. The interior frontal and exterior lateral visibility angles of the traffic light of the motor vehicle are determined with reference to a longitudinal axis passing through the center of the traffic light, and parallel to the vertical plane of symmetry of the motor vehicle as well as to the ground on which circulates the vehicle (considered as the horizontal plane of reference). The interior frontal and exterior lateral visibility angles are scanned in a horizontal plane parallel to the ground between the longitudinal axis of reference and, respectively, half-lines issuing from the center of the light. In this frame of reference, the so-called "inward-facing" half-line (i.e. facing the front of the vehicle towards the plane of symmetry) forms a minimum frontal visibility angle of 45° for an observer. placed in front of the light, with regulation ±15° of visibility in a vertical plane perpendicular to the plane of the ground. The other so-called "outward oriented" half-line (i.e. oriented towards the front of the vehicle away from the plane of symmetry) forms an angle of lateral visibility (for an observer placed in face of the light) of 80° minimum regulation, with inclinations of lateral and frontal visibility of ±15° regulation in the vertical plane.

The lateral visibility angle constraint of 80° is difficult to achieve when the window is in the form of a "narrow" rectangular strip of light, extending substantially in a vertical direction on the front face of the vehicle, and this, all the more so when the curve of the angles of the front face is pronounced.

By "narrow" strip of light, or "narrow" opening, we mean a window whose width does not allow the regulatory lateral visibility angle of 80° to be reached.

To remedy this problem of angle of visibility, it is common to use optical prisms made from material with the glass (or formed on an intermediate internal screen) in order to deflect the rays of the light beam in the directions making it possible to satisfy the side visibility angle (80°).

It is also common to have recourse to a bi-colour outer lens, (translucent + opaque black) obtained by a bi-injection molding process of two different materials: one translucent and the other opaque to light in order to hide technical areas and games, while being more compact than with completely translucent glass and an internal mask attached behind the translucent glass.

However, adding prisms to the inner wall of the glass to try to deflect the light rays is not enough when the curve of the angles of the front face of the vehicle is too great.

Moreover, beyond a certain angle presented by the prisms with respect to the incident light rays, the rays pass into total reflection and then propagate in the thickness of the glass which behaves as a light guide.

The addition of prisms to the outer face of the glass in order to combine double refraction is not authorized because the prisms present acute angles likely to injure people.

In addition, too prominent prisms arranged inside the glass, can generate unsightly accumulations/drips when depositing the anti-condensation varnish on the inside face of the glass.

The object of the invention is therefore in particular to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a simple and inexpensive solution.

To this end, the first subject of the invention is a lighting and/or signaling device for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing open to the outside when the device is mounted on a vehicle, a light guide arranged at the inside the box, a glass closing the box, said glass being essentially opaque and comprising a translucent opening of determined width defining a window arranged facing the light guide to allow the emission of the light diffused by the light guide towards the exterior, in which the glass comprises a translucent wall and an opaque layer, both obtained after bi-material injection molding, and in which the glass defines a protrusion vis-à-vis the case centered on the light guide, having a first and a second outward facing side walls and a front face respectively connecting the first and second side walls with a closed angle and an open angle, said opaque layer covering the internal faces of the side walls of the translucent wall terminating on the internal face of the front face of the crystal by presenting, in the closed angle of the protrusion, an inclined plane defining a reflecting facet at the edge of the window for the incident rays diffused by the light guide through the translucent window; the inclination of the facet making it possible to orient the rays reflected by said facet in determined directions capable of being contained within the regulatory lateral visibility angle when the device is mounted on a vehicle.

According to one characteristic, the translucent window defines a band of light of generally rectangular shape extending in a substantially vertical direction when the device is mounted on a vehicle.

According to another characteristic, the box comprises a protrusion centered on the protrusion of the crystal and supporting the light guide.

According to another characteristic, the light guide is a cylindrical guide of circular section.

According to another characteristic, the thickness of the opaque layer is constant up to the front face of the protrusion at the level of the open angle of the protrusion and increases in a constant manner in the vicinity of the closed angle up to the face. front of the protuberance to form the inclined plane.

According to another characteristic, the reflective facet is obtained by mirror polishing of the inclined plane.

A second object of the invention is an arrangement for a motor vehicle comprising a bodywork element and at least one lighting and/or signaling device as described above, installed in the bodywork element.

A third object of the invention is an arrangement for a motor vehicle comprising a front bumper comprising at least one lighting and/or signaling device as described above, located symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, respectively in the vicinity of the front left and right corners of the front bumper; the inclination of the front face of the protrusion following the curve of the front bumper of the vehicle.

The fourth subject of the invention is an arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising a first and a second set of three lighting and/or signaling devices as described above, located symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle , respectively in the vicinity of the front left and right corners of the front bumper; the three devices of the first and second sets being respectively located in three adjacent openings arranged in the front bumper in the vicinity of the left and right front corners of the front bumper; each of the three devices of the first and second sets sharing the same case and the same crystal.

Finally, the fifth subject of the invention is a motor vehicle comprising at least one lighting and/or signaling device as described above or at least one of the arrangements as described above.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examination of the detailed description below, and of the appended drawing, in which:

illustrates a front view of an arrangement of lighting and/or signaling devices installed in the left front corner of the bumper of a motor vehicle;

illustrates the layout of the , in a sectional top view along the section line II-II;

illustrates one of the lighting and/or signaling devices of the arrangement according to FIGS. 1 and 2;

illustrates a first embodiment of a lighting and/or signaling device according to the invention in an arrangement in accordance with FIGS. 1 and 2; And

illustrates a second embodiment of a device according to the invention in an arrangement according to Figures 1 and 2.

In what follows, it is considered that the elements represented in the figures are oriented inside the same orthonormal reference frame XYZ and the identical elements are designated by the same alphanumeric references.

For this and unless otherwise specified, reference is made to the orthonormal reference XYZ to identify the directions of extension of the vehicle and the associated relative concepts, including a longitudinal direction (along X), a transverse direction (along Y) and a vertical direction (according to Z). The longitudinal direction X extends between the front and the rear of the vehicle, the transverse direction Y extends between the right and left lateral sides of the vehicle identified with respect to the driver in the driving position of the vehicle, and the vertical direction Z defines the extension of the vehicle in elevation from its rolling plane on the ground. As a result, the front and rear relative notions are identified longitudinally, the lateral notion and the right and left relative notions are identified transversely, the notions like upper and lower or other related relative notions like bottom and top, etc. are defined vertically with respect to the taxiing plan of the vehicle on the ground.

There illustrates an arrangement of a first set 10 of three identical lighting and/or signaling devices 11, 12 and 13 installed respectively in openings 21, 22 and 23 arranged in a bodywork element 20 arranged on the front face of a motor vehicle V, and in particular at the left corner of the front bumper 20 of the vehicle V. There is a second set, identical to the first 10, not shown and therefore not referenced, arranged symmetrically with respect to the vertical plane of symmetry of the vehicle V at the right angle to the front face of the vehicle V. The devices 11 to 13 of the first 10 and second sets fulfill the function of daytime running lights (DRL) and operate simultaneously as soon as the vehicle V is started.

The three devices, or lights, 11-13 are presented vis-à-vis an observer placed in front of the front face of the vehicle V, as three identical, narrow and elongated light bands, of generally rectangular shape, and of the same width, arranged parallel to each other in a substantially vertical or substantially inclined direction with respect to the vertical direction Z. 22 and 23. The openings 21-13 closely match the three luminous bands. The three light strips 11-13 have the same spacing.

There illustrates the layout of the according to a top view, in section along the section axis II-II of the .

In this arrangement, the devices 11-13 comprise a common casing 30 closed at the front (towards the outside of the vehicle V) by a common glass 40. The glass 40 is a so-called two-color glass in that it has a wall external transparent to light 41 (translucent) and in that this external wall is completely covered on its internal face with a layer of material opaque to light 42 (black) with the exception of zones 43-45 respectively defining windows transparent through which the light rays coming from inside the box 30 can pass to the outside of the glass 40. These windows 43-45 respectively define light strips 11-13 seen from outside the vehicle V.

In the example described with reference to the , the outer profile of the glass 40 seen from above, follows the curve G of the bumper 20. The profile of the glass 40 defines a series of hollows and bumps with three protuberances 46-48 facing the front of the vehicle V, before of the vehicle V which is symbolized on the by a solid arrow. The protrusions 46-48 are all centered respectively on the axes X1-X3 parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle V along X. Only the front faces of the protrusions 46-48, contained in the openings 22-23 of the bumper 20, are visible from outside the vehicle V and correspond respectively to the windows 43-45 of the three devices or lights 11-13. They are flush with the skin of the bumper 20 which follows the same curve G.

The profile of the common case 30, seen from above, follows substantially the same profile as the crystal 40, at the rear of the common crystal 40, being spaced from the common crystal 40, and also comprises protuberances 31-33 oriented towards the front of the vehicle V and which seen from above, are respectively centered on the protrusions 46-48 of the glass 40. The three protrusions 31-33 of the housing 30 respectively support three cylindrical light guides with a circular section 51-53, arranged inside the box 30 which extend respectively facing the windows 43-45 of the three devices 11-13 along a general direction in Z being centered with respect to the windows 43-45.

The light guides 51-53 are capable of homogeneously diffusing the light emitted by at least one light source, not shown, through the windows 43-45 of the devices, or lights, 11-13.

There illustrates in detail one 12 of the devices 12-13 of the arrangement of the . The narrowness of the device 12 (small width of the protrusion 47 along Y) and its curve G imposed by the style, must meet the double constraint of masking the technical areas/elements located at the rear of the glass 40 and, d on the other hand, to respect the external lateral visibility angle of 80°.

The left and right side walls PLG and PLD of the protrusion 47 extend substantially in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle V (along X) towards the outside of the vehicle V. Due to the pronounced curve G at the right angle (respectively left) of the front face of the vehicle V, the front face FAV of the protrusion 47 is inclined by a determined angle θ with respect to a fictitious straight line D passing through the front face of the vehicle V (along Y) in being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle V (along X). The curve G, reduced to the scale of the protuberance 47, can be considered as a line segment SD. It can therefore be considered that the front face FAV of the protrusion 47 forms a determined angle θ with the straight line D. Due to the inclination of the angle θ and the direction along the X axis of the left and right side walls PLG PLD of the protuberance 47, the latter has a closed angle α between the right side wall PLD and the front face FAV of the protuberance 47 and an open angle β between the left side wall PLG and the front face FAV of the protuberance 47. In this configuration, it is the closed angle α of the protrusion 47 which is critical with respect to compliance with the lateral visibility angle of 80°.

As illustrated on the , the opaque layer 42 covers the inner faces of the outer wall 41 of the glass 40 up to the front face FAV of the glass 40. Its thickness is conditioned by the molding process and its extent inside the protrusion 47 parallel to the side walls PLG and PLD makes it possible to mask the technical zones/elements which could be visible to an observer placed in front of the glass 40. The opaque layer 42 is of constant thickness to the bottom of the protuberance 47; bottom which corresponds to the internal face of the front face FAV of the protuberance 47. In such a configuration, the light rays R diffused by the light guide 52 are emitted through the window 43, delimited by the thickness of the layer opaque 42, with a maximum angle exceeding the authorized angle of visibility of 80°, considered at the level of the closed angle α of the protuberance 47. At the level of the closed angle α, the rays R are not contained in the lateral visibility angle of 80° as symbolized on the .

There illustrates a first embodiment of a device or lamp 12 according to the invention making it possible to contain the rays R within the lateral angle of visibility of 80° authorized, at the level of the closed angle α of the protuberance 47. For this, the thickness of the opaque layer 42, obtained during the bi-injection molding process with the translucent material used to produce the outer wall 41 of the glass 40, is no longer constant along the inner face. of the right side wall PLD of the glass 40 but grows steadily from a determined distance from the bottom of the protrusion 47 to the bottom of the protuberance so as to define an inclined plane 50 with respect to the rays R.

The surface condition of the inclined plane 50 is treated so that the latter has a surface condition similar to that of a mirror (obtained by mirror polishing in the mold for example). The inclined plane 50 then behaves like the facet of a mirror. When the incident light rays R encounter the facet 50, the light is reflected with an angle determined by the inclination of the facet 50 with respect to the rays R so as to fill the photometric grid throughout the range of the angle of lateral visibility of 80°.

There illustrates, by way of a variant, an embodiment according to the invention, in which the opaque material 42 is extended on the internal face of the front face FAV of the protuberance 47 by following the right side wall PLD then the bottom of the protuberance 47, by filling the closed angle α of the protuberance 47, over a determined length, with the same thickness. The edge of the opaque material 42 has an inclined plane 50 similar to that of the embodiment of the which also behaves like the facet of a mirror for the incident rays R. It is thus possible to adapt the length of the opaque layer 42 on the internal wall of the front face FAV and the inclination of the facet 50 to adapt the angle of visibility and the width of the window 43.

Claims (10)

Lighting and/or signaling device (12) for a motor vehicle (V), comprising a casing (30) open to the outside when the device (12) is mounted on a vehicle (V), a light guide ( 52) arranged inside the box (30), a glass (40) closing the box (30), said glass (40) being essentially opaque and comprising a translucent opening of determined width defining a window (43) arranged opposite of the light guide (52) to allow the emission of the light diffused by the light guide (52) outwards, in which the glass (40) comprises a translucent wall (41) and an opaque layer, both obtained after bi-material injection molding, and in which the glass (40) defines a protuberance (47) vis-à-vis the case (30) centered on the light guide (52), having a first (PLD) and a second (PLG) side walls facing outwards and a front face (FAV) respectively connecting the first and second side walls (PLD, PLG) with a closed angle (α) and an open angle (β), said opaque layer ( 42) covering the inner faces of the side walls (PLD and PLG) of the translucent wall (41) ending on the inner face of the front face (FAV) of the crystal (40) presenting, in the closed angle ( α) of the protrusion (47), an inclined plane (50) defining a reflective facet at the edge of the window (43) for the incident rays (R) diffused by the light guide (52) through the translucent window ( 43); the inclination of the facet (50) making it possible to orient the rays (R) reflected by said facet (50) according to determined directions capable of being contained within the regulatory lateral visibility angle when the device (12) is mounted on a vehicle (V). Device (12) according to the preceding claim, in which the translucent window (43) defines a band of light of generally rectangular shape extending in a substantially vertical direction when the device (12) is mounted on a vehicle (V). Device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the casing (30) comprises a protuberance (32) centered on the protuberance (47) of the crystal (40) and supporting the light guide (52). Device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the light guide (52) is a cylindrical guide of circular section. Device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the thickness of the opaque layer (42) is constant up to the front face (FAV) of the protuberance (47) at the level of the open angle (β ) of the protrusion (47) and grows steadily in the vicinity of the closed angle (α) up to the front face (FAV) of the protrusion (47) to form the inclined plane (50). Device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the reflecting facet is obtained by mirror polishing the inclined plane (50). Arrangement for a motor vehicle (V) comprising a bodywork element (20) and at least one lighting and/or signaling device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, installed in the bodywork element (20). Arrangement for a motor vehicle (V) comprising a front bumper (20) comprising at least one lighting and/or signaling device (12) according to one of Claims 1 to 6, located symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle (V), respectively in the vicinity of the front left and right corners of the front bumper (20); the inclination of the front face (FAV) of the protuberance (47) following the curve (G) of the front bumper (20) of the vehicle (V). Arrangement for a motor vehicle (V), comprising a first (10) and a second set of three lighting and/or signaling devices (11-13) according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, located symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle (V), respectively in the vicinity of the left and right front corners of the front bumper (20), the three devices (11-13) of the first (10) and second sets being respectively located in three adjacent openings ( 21-23) arranged in the front bumper (20) in the vicinity of the left and right front corners of the front bumper (20); each of the three devices (11-13) of the first and second sets sharing the same case (30) and the same crystal (20). Motor vehicle (V) comprising at least one lighting and/or signaling device (12) according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 or at least one arrangement according to one of Claims 7 to 9.