Patent ID: 12187191

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

A vehicular active spoiler-type lighting device and a vehicular active spoiler-type lighting method according to first and second embodiments, respectively, of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. For clarity and convenience in description, thicknesses of lines, sizes of constituent elements, and the like may be illustrated in non-exact proportion in the drawings. In addition, a term to be assigned to a constituent element according to the present disclosure is defined considering a function of the constituent element and may vary according to a user's intention or a manager's intention or based on practices in the art. Therefore, the term should be defined in context in light of the present specification.

FIG.1is a view schematically illustrating the vehicular active spoiler-type lighting device1according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. With reference toFIG.1, the vehicular active spoiler-type lighting device1according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure includes an insertion recess10, an air current adjustment module20, a drive module30, and a lamp module40.

The insertion recess10may be formed in a vehicle body100. The insertion recess10may have a shape that is formed by recessing the vehicle body100. Thus, the insertion recess10may be exposed to the outside and may provide an installation space. The insertion recess10may form a line in order to realize a line of light.

The air current adjustment module20may be inserted into the insertion recess10. The air current adjustment module20may protrude out of the insertion recess10according to need, thereby changing a direction of air current flowing along a surface of the vehicle body100. The air current adjustment module20may be designed in a manner that corresponds in shape to the insertion recess10and thus may block the insertion recess10from being exposed to the outside.

The drive module30may be mounted in the insertion recess and may be connected to the air current adjustment module20. The air current adjustment module20may be inserted into or pulled out of the insertion recess10by the drive module30. The drive module30may be built into the insertion recess10and may be coupled to the air current adjustment module20. The drive module when electric power is applied thereto, may vary in length or may be moved in a sliding manner, thereby changing a position of the air current adjustment module20.

The lamp module40may provide lighting to the air current adjustment module20. The lamp module40may be mounted on the air current adjustment module20and may emit light. Light that is supplied by the lamp module40may pass through the air current adjustment module20, resulting in lighting being provided. A plurality of lamp modules40may be spaced apart in the lengthwise direction of the air current adjustment module20and may emit light. In addition, an optical guide may be formed on the air current adjustment module20in the lengthwise direction thereof, and one lamp module40may emit light to the optical guide.

The air current adjustment module20may be mounted on the drive module30and may transmit light generated by the lamp module40. The air current adjustment module20may guide straight-line propagation of the light generated by the lamp module40and may guide propagation of the light toward the rear or lateral side of a vehicle. The lamp module40may provide red light or white light. A separate complementary color lens may be arranged on the air current adjustment module20and may change a light color. The air current adjustment module20may include an inner lens part and an outer lens part that is formed in such a manner as to surround the inner lens part and thus protects the inner lens part. The inner lens part may expand the light generated by the lamp module40, and the light passing through the inner lens part may pass through the outer lens part, resulting in lighting being provided to the outside.

According to the present disclosure, the air current adjustment module20may be mounted on the drive module30and may be possibly variously design-changed to transmit the light generated by the lamp module40toward the outside. The air current adjustment module20is schematically illustrated in the drawings in such a manner that a fundamental function thereof is understandable. The air current adjustment module20is briefly described under the legend “Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiments.”

The vehicular active spoiler-type lighting device1according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a sealing member50. The sealing member50may be mounted in the insertion recess10and may be brought into close contact with the air current adjustment module20. The sealing member50may be manufactured of a material containing an elastic component and may fill in a gap between the insertion recess10and the air current adjustment module20. Thus, the sealing member50may prevent irregular movement of the air current adjustment module20due to introduction of a foreign material and may block formation of a turbulent flow due to air introduction.

The vehicular active spoiler-type lighting device1according to the first embodiment may further include a controller60. The controller60may operate at least one of the drive module30and the lamp module40. The controller60may selectively operate each of the drive module30and the lamp module40when it receives a signal generated by a driver to operate each of them or when a condition for operating each of them is satisfied. Accordingly, only the air current adjustment module20may protrude, or the lamp module40may be turned on in a state where the air current adjustment module20protrudes, thereby complying with traffic regulations.

FIG.2is a view schematically illustrating a state where the air current adjustment module according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is installed in such a manner as to have a length in the leftward-rightward direction. With reference toFIG.2, the air current adjustment module20may be formed in such a manner as to have a length in the leftward-rightward direction of the vehicle body100. The air current adjustment module20may be inserted into the insertion recess10formed along the length in the leftward-rightward direction of a trunk door, and the air current adjustment module20may be exposed to the outside. When the lamp module40is turned on in this state, line lighting may be provided through the air current adjustment module20. Depending on whether the drive module30is driven, the air current adjustment module20may be arranged in the same line with the vehicle body100or may protrude from the vehicle body100, thereby reducing aerodynamic resistance.

FIG.3is a view schematically illustrating a state where the air current adjustment modules according to the first embodiment of the present disclosures are installed in such a manner as to have a length in the upward-downward direction. With reference toFIG.3, the air current adjustment modules20may be formed in such a manner as to have a length in the upward-downward direction of the vehicle body100. The air current adjustment modules20may be inserted into one pair of the insertion recesses10that are formed in left and right sides, respectively, of the rear of the vehicle, along the length in the upward-downward direction of the rear of the vehicle, and may be exposed to the outside. When the lamp module40is turned on in this state, the line lighting may be provided through the air current adjustment modules20. Depending on whether the drive module30is driven, the air current adjustment module20may be arranged in the same line with the vehicle body100or may protrude from the vehicle body100, thereby reducing the aerodynamic resistance.

FIG.4is a view schematically illustrating a state where the air current adjustment modules according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure are installed in such a manner as to have a length in the leftward-rightward direction and lengths in the upward-downward direction. With reference toFIG.4, the air current adjustment modules20are formed in such a manner as to have a length in the leftward-rightward direction of the vehicle body100and lengths in the upward-downward direction of the vehicle body100. The shapes of the air current adjustment modules20inFIG.4can be understood by referring toFIGS.2and3. Thus, a detailed description of the air current adjustment modules20inFIG.4is omitted. The air current adjustment module20that has a length in the leftward-rightward direction and the air current adjustment modules20that have a length in the upward-downward direction may be connected to each other to protrude at the same time or may be separated from each other to protrude individually.

FIG.5is a flowchart schematically illustrating the vehicular active spoiler-type lighting method according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. The vehicular active spoiler-type lighting method is described below with reference toFIG.5.

An instruction to operate the drive module30is input in a state where a vehicle engine starts (S10). The drive module30is mounted in the insertion recess10formed by recessing the vehicle body100. The insertion recess10is inserted into the air current adjustment module20and thus is connected to the drive module30, and the lamp module40is mounted on the air current adjustment module20. In this state, lighting is provided through the air current adjustment module20.

At this point, when the driver operates a switch for operating the drive module30or switches from a traveling mode to a sports mode, the instruction to operate the drive module30may be regarded as being input. In addition, a processor for autonomous traveling may input the instruction to operate the drive module30in order to communicate with a pedestrian or another vehicle.

When the instruction to operate the drive module30is input, the controller60detects whether or not the lamp module40is turned off (S20).

When the lamp module40is in a turned-off state, the controller60drives the drive module30. When the drive module30is driven, the air current adjustment module20is moved in such a manner as to protrude out of the insertion recess10(S30). The air current adjustment module20may protrude from the surface of the vehicle body100, thereby reducing the aerodynamic resistance.

However, when the lamp module40is in a turned-on state, the controller60detects whether or not the vehicle comes to a stop (S40).

When the vehicle is in a stopped state, the controller60drives the drive module30. When the drive module30is driven, the air current adjustment module20is moved in such a manner as to protrude out of the insertion recess10(S30).

When the vehicle is in a traveling state, the controller60alerts the driver that the drive module30is not operable (S50). That is, the controller60may display on a display a message indicating that the air current adjustment module20cannot protrude out of the insertion recess10in order to comply with the traffic regulations, or may output such a message in an audio format through a speaker.

The lamp module40detects a timer setting or illuminance and thus is turned on or turned off. That is, the lamp module40may be turned on only during a user-set time period. In addition, the lamp module40may be automatically turned on through an illuminance sensor. In addition, the lamp module40may be turned or turned off by operation of a switch by the driver.

In the vehicular active spoiler-type lighting device and the vehicular active spoiler-type lighting device according to the first and second embodiments, respectively, of the present disclosure, the air current adjustment module20is inserted into the insertion recess10formed in the vehicle body100, and the light generated by the lamp module40mounted on the air current adjustment module20passes through the air current adjustment module20, resulting in the line lighting being provided. According to need, the air current adjustment module20may protrude out of the insertion recess10by the drive module30, thereby reducing the aerodynamic resistance.

The embodiments of the present disclosure are described only in an exemplary manner with reference to the drawings. It would be understandable by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains that various modifications may possibly be made to the embodiment and that various equivalents thereof may possibly be implemented. Therefore, the proper technical scope of the present disclosure should be defined by the following claims.