Patent Description:
The term automotive lighting and/or signaling device is used herein in a very broad sense, so as to comprise both a rear and a front automotive lamp, the latter also being called headlight or headlamp.

Therefore, a position light, a direction indicator light, a stop light, a rear fog light, a reversing light, a dipped-beam headlamp, a high-beam headlamp and the like, are included.

Furthermore, the term is also meant to comprise a map light, a light for a dashboard or part thereof; therefore, the automotive lighting and/or signaling device may be located both inside and outside the vehicle.

As known, said automotive lighting and/or signaling devices may be used both for lighting and for sending visual signals.

To this end, said devices comprise a plurality of illuminating portions having different colors, different levels of brightness (also according to regulations to be complied with) and the like.

In particular, in recent years, lighting and/or signaling devices have increasingly acquired an aesthetic value as well as a photometric function. In other words, apart from, of course, the lighting and/or signaling function which they must carry out, said lighting and/or signaling devices are increasingly used as design elements within the context of the vehicle in which they are inserted.

To this end, providing lighting and/or signaling devices which have main illuminating portions, having the purpose of fulfilling the photometric function of the lamp, and secondary illuminating portions, having the function of creating lighting areas with a purely aesthetic function, is known. For example, the illuminating portions may consist of halos or areas which at least partially surround the main illuminating portions. These solutions may be realized with specific optical systems comprising light guides.

The background art includes several solutions of lighting and/or signaling devices which carry out such technical and aesthetic functions.

Some of said solutions provide for the use of two distinct luminous sources, one for the main illuminating function and the other for the secondary illuminating function. However, such solutions entail some disadvantages due, for example, to the redundancy of luminous sources, to the assembly thereof, to the activation thereof and so on. In a nutshell, such solutions do not entail technical issues in terms of optical performance, but they entail other ones in terms of construction, assembly and consumption costs of the lighting and/or signaling device. Such solution are known, for example, from <CIT>.

Solutions in which a single luminous source is used to generate both the luminous beam which will supply the main illuminating portion and the luminous beam which will supply the secondary illuminating portion also exist.

Such solutions have the advantage of using a single luminous source and therefore solve the aforementioned issues related to the redundancy of the luminous sources.

On the other hand, these known solutions do not allow the luminous beam generated by the single luminous source to be exploited in an efficient manner; in fact, to power both the main illuminating portion and the secondary illuminating portion, it is necessary to divide the luminous beam into two portions and channel the respective beam portions towards the relative illuminating portions. The optics and/or configurations used to date for such division and channeling of the luminous beams do not allow for high energy efficiency. This means that, given the same power of the luminous source, it is necessary to sacrifice at least partially the quantity of light intended for the secondary illuminating portion, so as to guarantee compliance with the regulations (in terms of minimum luminous flux) on the main illuminating portion. Alternatively, it is necessary to increase the power of the installed luminous source, so as to make up for the 'poor' energy efficiency of the known solutions.

In other words, the known solutions do not allow to allocate the whole area of the main illuminating portion to perform the main illuminating function itself. In fact, in the background art, the main illuminating portion comprises optical elements such as inclined walls or prisms capable of deflecting the light towards the secondary illuminating portion. Such optical elements, disadvantageously, reduce the area intended for the main illuminating portion. The reduction of such area involves the need to install a greater luminous power. Such solutions are known, for example, from <CIT>.

The need is therefore felt in the background art to provide an automotive lighting and/or signaling device which allows to obtain the above mentioned technical effects, in an efficient manner from an energy consumption point of view, using a single luminous source to supply both the main illuminating portion and the secondary illuminating portion.

Such requirement is met by an automotive lighting and/or signaling device in accordance with claim <NUM>.

Other embodiments of the present invention are described in the dependent claims.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of preferred and non-limitative embodiments thereof, in which:.

The common elements or parts of elements between the embodiments described below will be indicated with the same reference numerals.

With reference to the aforesaid figures, reference numeral <NUM> generally indicates a lighting and/or signaling device, such as an automotive lamp, to which the following description will refer without this implying any loss of generality.

As mentioned above, the term lighting and/or signaling device indifferently means an automotive rear lamp or an automotive front lamp, the latter also called headlight or headlamp, comprising an external vehicle light having a lighting and/or signaling function, such as, for example, a position light, which may be a front, rear, side position light, a direction indicator light, a stop light, a rear fog light, a high-beam headlamp, a dipped-beam headlamp and the like.

Furthermore, the term lighting and/or signaling device also means an inside map light, a light for a dashboard or part thereof, a display and so on.

Therefore, as better described below, in the signaling function thereof, the device may comprise the possibility of sending luminous signals, logos, but also luminous messages and writings of any kind.

The lighting and/or signaling device <NUM> comprises a container body or housing <NUM>, usually made of a polymeric material, which conventionally allows the lighting and/or signaling device <NUM> to be fastened to the relative vehicle or to any type of support.

For the purposes of the present invention, the container body or housing <NUM> may have any shape and size, as well as positioning: for example, the container body <NUM> may not be directly associated with the bodywork or other external fixings of the associated vehicle.

As seen, the container body <NUM> may also be internally associated with the vehicle, for example, on the instrument panel, on the dashboard, on the parcel shelf and so on.

The container body <NUM> delimits a containment seat <NUM> which houses a plurality of components of said lighting and/or signaling device.

In particular, the containment seat <NUM> houses a plurality of luminous sources <NUM> arranged and supported inside said containment seat <NUM>.

Each luminous source <NUM> is configured to emit, when powered, a luminous beam comprising a plurality of luminous rays R.

Preferably, said luminous sources <NUM> are LED luminous sources or laser luminous sources.

For example, a lenticular body <NUM> may be associated with the container body <NUM>, as one at least partial closure, so as to close said containment seat <NUM> which houses the at least one luminous source <NUM>.

For the purposes of the present invention, the lenticular body <NUM> may be external to the lighting and/or signaling device <NUM>, so as to define at least one external wall of the lighting and/or signaling device directly subject to the atmosphere.

The lenticular body <NUM> closes the containment seat <NUM> and is adapted to be crossed by the luminous beam produced by the luminous sources <NUM>, which is transmitted outside the containment seat <NUM>.

In this regard, the lenticular body <NUM> is made of an at least partially transparent or semitransparent or translucent material, which may also include one or more opaque portions, so as to allow, in any case, the at least partial crossing of the luminous beam produced by the luminous source.

According to possible embodiments, the material of the lenticular body <NUM> is a resin such as PMMA, PC and the like.

The lighting and/or signaling device <NUM> comprises a light guide <NUM> adapted to receive and transmit the luminous beam received by said luminous source <NUM>.

More in detail, the light guide <NUM> comprises a main section <NUM>, configured to emit a main light beam P of the luminous beam, by means of a main illuminating portion <NUM>, and a secondary section <NUM>, configured to emit a secondary light beam S of the luminous beam, by means of a secondary illuminating portion <NUM>.

In other words, the luminous beam emitted by the luminous source <NUM> splits, as better described below, into the main luminous beam P, intended to be emitted outside of the lighting and/or signaling device <NUM>, by the main illuminating portion <NUM> to which it is transmitted by the main section <NUM>, and splits into the secondary luminous section S, intended to be emitted outside of the lighting and/or signaling device <NUM>, by the secondary illuminating portion <NUM> to which it is transmitted from the secondary section <NUM>.

Said main and secondary sections <NUM>, <NUM> are seamless; they are conventionally in one piece with each other.

Advantageously, a distribution element <NUM> is interposed between the light guide <NUM> and the luminous source <NUM>, upstream of the light guide <NUM>, configured to divide the luminous beam into said main luminous beam P, inserted into the main section <NUM> by means of a main interface <NUM>, and into said secondary luminous beam S, inserted into the secondary section <NUM> by means of a secondary interface <NUM>. Such distribution element <NUM> is provided with a light inlet surface <NUM> facing the luminous source <NUM>.

At said main interface <NUM>, a main reflector <NUM> is provided which divides the main luminous beam P from the secondary luminous beam S.

Furthermore, at said secondary interface <NUM>, a secondary reflector <NUM> is provided which deflects the secondary luminous beam S in the secondary section <NUM>.

The main reflector <NUM> and/or the secondary reflector <NUM> may be made in various ways; for example, they comprise a prism and/or an inclined wall capable of deflecting light according to the total internal reflection and/or a mirror or white treated surface.

Preferably, the luminous source <NUM> is positioned on the opposite side of a junction area <NUM> between the main section <NUM> and the secondary section <NUM>.

The luminous source <NUM> is arranged on the side of, or at, said main section <NUM> of the light guide <NUM>.

Preferably, the luminous source <NUM> is arranged at said main interface <NUM>.

According to a possible embodiment (<FIG>) the main reflector <NUM> is configured to deflect said main luminous flux P towards the main section <NUM> of the light guide <NUM>.

According to a further embodiment (<FIG>), the main reflector <NUM> is configured to deflect said secondary luminous flux S towards the secondary interface <NUM>.

The light guide <NUM> may have several geometric configurations.

The light guide <NUM> has an overall 'V' configuration, in which the main section <NUM> and the secondary section <NUM> join at a vertex of said 'V', at said junction area <NUM>.

The distribution element <NUM> extends between free ends <NUM> of the main section <NUM> and of the secondary section <NUM>, opposite to the vertex.

According to a possible embodiment, the secondary section <NUM>, on the opposite side of the lenticular body <NUM>, comprises a reflector screen <NUM> (<FIG>). For example, said reflector screen <NUM> may be made by means of a coating of metallic material, a white or lacquered coating or the like.

According to a possible embodiment (<FIG>), the secondary section <NUM>, on the opposite side of the lenticular body <NUM>, comprises a plurality of extracting elements <NUM> of the secondary luminous beam towards the lenticular body <NUM>.

For example, said extracting elements <NUM> comprise a knurled wall or prisms or dotted elements.

It is also possible to provide that the lighting and/or signaling device <NUM> comprises an internal light guide <NUM> arranged in a space delimited between said main <NUM> and secondary sections <NUM> and facing said extracting elements <NUM>, in which the internal light guide is in turn provided with a luminous source <NUM> thereof.

According to a possible embodiment, the distribution element <NUM> is mechanically fastened to the light guide <NUM> by means of fastening means <NUM>, preferably according to a shape coupling.

The operation of a lighting and/or signaling device according to the present invention will now be described.

In particular, by turning on the luminous source, the emission of a luminous beam is generated, which enters into the light guide through the distribution element <NUM>.

In particular, in the embodiment of <FIG>, the luminous rays which hit the main reflector <NUM> are reflected by the latter towards the main section <NUM>. Such reflected luminous rays form the main luminous beam P which propagates by reflection inside the main section <NUM> until it is extracted through the main illuminating portion <NUM>.

The luminous rays which do not hit the main reflector <NUM> propagate directly in the distribution element <NUM>, forming the secondary luminous beam S, until they reach the secondary reflector S. When said luminous rays hit the secondary reflector <NUM>, they are directed by the latter into the secondary section <NUM>, forming the secondary luminous beam S.

The secondary luminous beam S propagates by reflection inside the secondary section <NUM> and is directed or extracted, through the secondary illuminating portion <NUM>, towards the lenticular body <NUM> by virtue of the presence of the reflector screen <NUM> and/or of the extracting elements <NUM>.

In the embodiment of <FIG>, the luminous rays produced by the luminous source are partially directly directed by the distribution element <NUM> into the main section <NUM>. Such rays form the main luminous beam P which is extracted through the main illuminating portion <NUM>.

Another part of the luminous rays produced by the luminous source <NUM> hits the main reflector <NUM> which reflects them towards the secondary reflector <NUM>. When said luminous rays hit the secondary reflector <NUM>, they are directed by the latter into the secondary section <NUM>, forming the secondary luminous beam S.

As seen, the secondary luminous beam S propagates by reflection inside the secondary section <NUM> and is directed or extracted, through the secondary illuminating portion <NUM>, towards the lenticular body <NUM> by virtue of the presence of the reflector screen <NUM> and/or of the extracting elements <NUM>.

As it may be appreciated from the foregoing, the present invention allows to overcome the drawbacks presented in the background art.

In particular, the automotive lighting and/or signaling device in accordance with the present invention allows to obtain the lighting of both the main illuminating portion as well as the secondary illuminating portion in an efficient manner from the energy consumption point of view, while using a single luminous source.

The redundancy of the luminous sources, as it occurs in the known solutions, is therefore avoided, together with the relative disadvantages inherent in the costs of construction and assembly, as well as the relative energy consumption.

Furthermore, by virtue of the specific shape of the distribution element, the luminous beam is divided upstream, i.e., before entering the light guide, into the main luminous beam and the secondary luminous beam: thereby the distribution of the luminous beam is optimized. In particular, priority is given to the emission of the main luminous beam, which carries out the photometric function, and the remaining secondary luminous beam may be advantageously channeled into the secondary section, by virtue of the secondary reflector.

By virtue of the fact that the division of the luminous beams occurs upstream of the luminous guide, it is possible to optimize the optical performance of the lighting and/or signaling device. In fact, the area of the main illuminating portion is not reduced.

Claim 1:
A lighting and/or signaling device (<NUM>) for a vehicle, in particular for the automotive sector, comprising:
- a container body (<NUM>) which delimits a containment seat (<NUM>) closed by a lenticular body (<NUM>),
- at least one luminous source (<NUM>) arranged and supported inside said containment seat (<NUM>), configured to emit, when powered, a luminous beam comprising a plurality of luminous rays (R),
- a light guide (<NUM>) adapted to receive and transmit the luminous beam received by said luminous source (<NUM>),
- the light guide (<NUM>) comprises a main section (<NUM>), configured to emit a main light beam (P) of the luminous beam, by means of a main illuminating portion (<NUM>), and a secondary section (<NUM>), configured to emit a secondary light beam (S) of the luminous beam, by means of a secondary illuminating portion (<NUM>),
wherein
- a distribution element (<NUM>) is interposed between the light guide (<NUM>) and the luminous source (<NUM>), upstream of the light guide (<NUM>), configured to divide the luminous beam into said main luminous beam (P), inserted into the main section (<NUM>) by means of a main interface (<NUM>), and into said secondary luminous beam (S), inserted into the secondary section (<NUM>) by means of a secondary interface (<NUM>),
- wherein, at said main interface (<NUM>), a main reflector (<NUM>) is provided, which divides the main luminous beam (P) from the secondary luminous beam (S), and
- wherein, at said secondary interface (<NUM>), a secondary reflector (<NUM>) is provided, which deflects the secondary luminous beam (S) in the secondary section (<NUM>),
characterized in that
the light guide (<NUM>) has an overall 'V' configuration, said main section (<NUM>) and secondary section (<NUM>) joining at a vertex of said 'V', wherein the distribution element (<NUM>) extends between free ends (<NUM>) of the main section (<NUM>) and of the secondary section (<NUM>), opposite to the vertex.