Patent Publication Number: US-2022221125-A1

Title: Light shielding component, and corresponding optical assembly, vehicle lamp and vehicle

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a 371 application (submitted under 35 U.S.C. § 371) of International Application No. PCT/EP2020/064908 (WO2020239946) filed on May 28, 2020, which claims priority date benefit to Chinese Application No. 201920809004.2 filed May 30, 2019, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to the technical field of lighting, and in particular to a light shielding component, and a corresponding optical assembly, vehicle lamp and vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Light guides are widely used in various types of vehicle lamps. Generally, the light guide is installed into the vehicle lamp via a supporting member, but if the light guide is left untreated, light will often leak out at an end of the light guide, affecting the overall visual effect. 
     SUMMARY 
     In view of this, one of the problems solved by an embodiment of the present invention is to solve the problem of light leakage at an end. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, a light shielding component is provided, wherein the light shielding component includes a covering portion, and a snap-fit portion, wherein the covering portion is used to cover a light guide to block the transmission of light rays, and the snap-fit portion comprises at least one slot, which is used to fix the light shielding component. 
     According to the solution of the present invention, the light shielding component can be fixed on a supporting member of the light guide to shield light rays, thereby solving the problem of light leakage. 
     In the light shielding component according to the present invention, the snap-fit portion is located on two sides of the covering portion. 
     According to the solution of the present invention, the light shielding component can be better fixed by means of the snap-fit portion. 
     In the light shielding component according to the present invention, the snap-fit portion comprises a slot and a snap joint. 
     By using a slot and a snap joint, the connection between the light shielding component according to the present invention and the supporting portion is firmer. 
     In the light shielding component according to the present invention, the snap-fit portion comprises two slots and two snap joints, wherein the two slots are close to a start position of the covering portion, and the two snap joints are close to an end position of the covering portion. 
     By using multiple slots and snap joints, the connection is firmer. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is further provided an optical assembly, wherein the optical assembly comprises the light shielding component, a light guide, and a supporting portion, wherein the supporting portion is provided with a matching portion corresponding to a snap-fit portion of the light shielding component. 
     The problem of light leakage of the light guide can be better solved by the optical assembly according to the present invention. 
     In the optical assembly according to the present invention, the snap-fit portion comprises a slot and a snap joint, the matching portion is provided with a protrusion matching the slot, and an extension matching the snap joint; the slot is used to accommodate the protrusion; and the snap joint is used to retain the extension. 
     Through the cooperation of the snap-fit portion and its matching portion, a firm and stable connection between the light shielding component and the supporting portion can be achieved in the optical assembly according to the present invention. 
     In the optical assembly according to the present invention, the supporting portion comprises an accommodation portion for accommodating the light guide. 
     By using a supporting portion with an accommodation portion, it is ensured that the light guide is not displaced and is more stable. 
     In the optical assembly according to the present invention, a main body of the light guide is in the shape of a long strip, the accommodation portion comprises an arc-shaped groove, and the covering portion comprises an arc-shaped groove matching the light guide in shape. 
     In the optical assembly according to the present invention, the matching portion comprises two protrusions and two extensions, wherein the two protrusions are located on two sides of the main body of the light guide, and the two extensions are located on two sides of an end of the light guide. 
     In the optical assembly according to the present invention, the optical assembly further comprises a light source. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a vehicle lamp comprising the optical assembly. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a vehicle comprising the vehicle lamp. 
     Compared with the prior art, the advantage of the solution of the present invention is that by using a light shielding component, the light beam leakage is better blocked, and a better visual effect is achieved. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious through perusal of a detailed description of non-limiting embodiments which makes reference to the accompanying drawings below: 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic front view of a light shielding component according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a schematic rear view of a light shielding component according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows a structural schematic view of a light guide and its supporting portion according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  shows a structural schematic view of an optical structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  shows a partially enlarged, structural schematic view of an optical structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  shows a cross-sectional view of the optical structure shown in  FIG. 4 or 5  along a line BB′; 
         FIG. 7  shows a cross-sectional view of the optical structure shown in  FIG. 4 or 5  along a line CC′; and 
         FIG. 8  shows a cross-sectional view of the optical structure shown in  FIG. 4 or 5  along a line DD′. 
     
    
    
     LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS 
       
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 100 
                 Light shielding component 
                 200 
                 Light guide 
               
               
                 300 
                 Supporting portion 
                 400 
                 Light source 
               
               
                 110 
                 Covering portion 
                 120 
                 Snap-fit portion 
               
               
                 121 
                 Slot 
                 122 
                 Snap joint 
               
               
                 1211 
                 Upper stop 
                 1212 
                 Opening 
               
               
                 1213 
                 Elastic member 
                 123 
                 Contact portion 
               
               
                 310 
                 Matching portion 
                 311 
                 Protrusion 
               
               
                 312 
                 Extension 
                 320 
                 Accommodation portion 
               
               
                 210 
                 Main body 
                 220 
                 Rear portion 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present invention may be realized in various forms, and should not be restricted by the embodiments expounded here. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided in order to make the present invention more thorough and complete, and to enable the scope of the present invention to be conveyed to those skilled in the art in a complete fashion. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, a light shielding structure  100 , and a corresponding optical structure, vehicle lamp and vehicle are disclosed. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 to 5 , the optical structure according to the present invention comprises a light shielding component  100 , a light guide  200 , and a supporting portion  300 , wherein the supporting portion  300  is provided with a matching portion  310  corresponding to a snap-fit portion  120  of the light shielding component  100 . 
     Preferably, the optical structure according to the present invention further comprises a light source  400 . 
     The light source  400  is located at an opening end of the light guide  200 , and the light shielding component  100  is located at an end of the light guide  200 . 
     According to the optical structure of the present invention, the supporting portion  300  is used to support the light guide  200  and the light shielding component  100 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the light shielding component  100  comprises a covering portion  110  and the snap-fit portion  120 , wherein the covering portion  110  is used to cover the light guide  200  to block the transmission of light rays, and the snap-fit portion  120  is used to fix the light shielding component  100 . 
     Specifically, the light shielding component  100  is located at the end of the light guide  200 , covers the light guide  200  via the covering portion  110 , and is connected to the supporting portion  300  via the snap-fit portion  120 . 
     Specifically, the supporting portion  300  comprises an accommodation portion  320  for accommodating the light guide  200 . More preferably, a main body  210  of the light guide  200  is in the shape of a long strip, the accommodation portion  320  is an arc-shaped groove, and the covering portion  110  comprises an arc-shaped groove matching the light guide  200  in shape. 
     The snap-fit portion  120  is used to connect the light shielding component  100  to the supporting portion  300 . The snap-fit portion  120  may be implemented by various forms of connection structures. More preferably, the snap-fit portion  120  may further comprise a plurality of connection components, and each connection component can have a different type. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the snap-fit portion  120  is located on two sides of the covering portion  110 . 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, the snap-fit portion  120  according to the present invention comprises a slot  121 , and the matching portion  310  according to the present invention is provided with a protrusion  311  matching the slot  121 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 to 8 , the slot  121  is provided with an upper stop  1211 , an opening  1212 , and an elastic member  1213 . When connecting to the supporting portion  300 , the protrusion  311  of the supporting portion  300  passes through the opening  1212 , the slight deformation of the elastic member  1213  enables the protrusion  311  to pass through, and the elastic member  1213  then returns to its original position to snap the protrusion  311 , forming a snap-fit connection. 
     According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the snap-fit portion  120  according to the present invention further comprises a snap joint  122 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 to 8 , according to an embodiment of the present invention, the snap-fit portion  120  of the optical structure comprises a slot  121  and a snap joint  122 . The matching portion  310  is provided with a protrusion  311  matching the slot  121 , and an extension  312  matching the snap joint  122 . The slot  121  is used to accommodate the protrusion  311 . The snap joint  122  is used to retain the extension  312 . 
     The snap joint  122  retains the extension  312  and cooperates with the connection structure of the slot  121  and the protrusion  311 , such that the connection between the light shielding structure  100  and the supporting portion is more stable. 
     More preferably, the snap-fit portion  120  comprises two slots  121  and two snap joints  122 , and the matching portion  310  comprises two protrusions  311  and two extensions  312 . 
     The two slots  121  are close to an end of the covering portion  110 . 
     Preferably, the two protrusions  311  are located on two sides of the accommodation portion  320  of the supporting portion  300 , and the two extensions  312  are located on two sides of an end of the accommodation portion  320 . 
     According to yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the light shielding component  100  further comprises at least one contact portion  123  for making contact with the light guide  200 . 
     The contact portion  123  protrudes from a plane of the snap-fit portion  120  in a direction of the light guide  200 , to press the light guide  200  against the supporting portion  300 . In this way, the connection between the light shielding structure  100 , the light guide  200  and the supporting portion  300  is more tight and stable. 
     A person skilled in the art should understand that, according to the solutions of the present invention, by using a light shielding component, light beam leakage is better blocked, and a better visual effect is achieved. In addition, the structure in which the light shielding component is directly connected to the supporting portion can make the overall structure more stable and reliable. 
     To a person skilled in the art, it would be obvious that the present invention is not limited to the details of the demonstrative embodiments above, and could be implemented in other specific forms without deviating from the spirit or fundamental features of the present invention. Thus, regardless of which viewpoint is taken, the embodiments should be regarded as being demonstrative and non-limiting; the scope of the present invention is defined by the attached claims and not by the explanation above, hence it is intended that all changes falling within the meaning and scope of equivalent key elements of the claims are included in the present invention. No reference signs in the claims should be regarded as limiting the claims concerned. In addition, it is obvious that the word “comprises” does not exclude other units or steps, and the singular does not exclude the plural. Multiple units or apparatuses presented in system claims may also be realized by one unit or apparatus by means of software or hardware. Words such as first and second are used to indicate designations, and do not indicate any specific order.