IP Library Granted Patent US 9,157,597
Granted Patent B2
US 9,157,597 · App. 14/394,327 · Granted Oct 13, 2015

Light-emitting unit for a projector lamp

Inventors: Josef Gürtl (Kilb, AT); Josef Plank (Purgstall/Erlauf, AT)
Assignee: ZIZALA LICHTSYSTEME GMBH
F21S48/145F21S48/115F21S48/1154F21S48/1241F21S48/1291F21S48/13F21S48/1317F21S48/1388F21S48/1747F21W2101/10F21Y2105/001
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,157,597
App. No.
14/394,327
Granted
Oct 13, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a lighting unit ( 1 ) for a headlight, in particular a motor vehicle headlight, comprising a plurality of light sources ( 2 ), a light guide unit ( 3 ) having a plurality of light guides ( 30 ) and a downstream projection lens ( 4 ), wherein each light guide ( 30 ) has a light decoupling face ( 30 a ), and wherein each light source ( 2 ) couples light precisely into a light guide ( 30 ) associated therewith, and wherein adjacent light guides ( 30 ) are separated from one another by partition walls ( 31, 32 ). In accordance with the invention, at least one diaphragm element ( 5 ) is arranged between the light guide unit ( 3 ) and the projection lens ( 4 ), which diaphragm element ( 5 ) has apertures ( 50 ) separated from one another by aperture partition walls ( 51, 52 ), wherein the diaphragm element ( 5 ) is arranged in such a way that an aperture ( 50 ) is arranged to the front of each light decoupling face ( 30 a ), and wherein the apertures ( 50 ) correspond substantially in terms of shape and size to the light decoupling faces ( 30 a ) associated therewith, and wherein, on the faces ( 5 a ) of the at least one diaphragm element ( 5 ) facing away from the light guide unit ( 3 ), at least part of the aperture partition walls ( 51, 52 ) has a smaller wall thickness (b) than the partition walls ( 31, 32 ) of the light guide unit ( 3 ) associated with the respective aperture partition walls ( 51, 52 ).

Claims (32)

1. A lighting unit ( 1 ) for a headlight comprising:

a plurality of light sources ( 2 ),

a light guide unit ( 3 ) having a plurality of light guides ( 30 ),

a downstream projection lens ( 4 ), wherein each light guide ( 30 ) has a light decoupling face ( 30 a ), and wherein each light source ( 2 ) couples light precisely into a light guide ( 30 ) associated therewith, and wherein adjacent light guides ( 30 ) are separated from one another by partition walls ( 31 , 32 ), and

at least one diaphragm element ( 5 ) arranged between the light guide unit ( 3 ) and the projection lens ( 4 ),

wherein the at least one diaphragm element ( 5 ) has apertures ( 50 ) separated from one another by aperture partition walls ( 51 , 52 ),

wherein the at least one diaphragm element ( 5 ) is arranged in such a way that an aperture ( 50 ) is arranged to the front of each light decoupling face ( 30 a ) and corresponds substantially in terms of shape and size to the light decoupling faces ( 30 a ) associated therewith, and

wherein, on faces ( 5 a ) of the at least one diaphragm element ( 5 ) facing away from the light guide unit ( 3 ), at least part of the aperture partition walls ( 51 , 52 ) has a smaller wall thickness (b) than the partition walls ( 31 , 32 ) of the light guide unit ( 3 ) associated with the respective aperture partition walls ( 51 , 52 ).

2. The lighting unit according to claim 1 , wherein precisely one diaphragm element ( 5 ) is provided, which has a number of apertures ( 50 ) corresponding to the number of light decoupling faces ( 30 a ).

3. The lighting unit according to claim 1 , wherein the light guides ( 30 ) are arranged in at least two rows arranged one above the other.

4. The lighting unit according to claim 3 , wherein a separate diaphragm element is provided for at least one of the rows of light guides ( 30 ).

5. The lighting unit according to claim 4 , wherein a separate diaphragm element is provided for each row of light guides.

6. The lighting unit according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one diaphragm element ( 5 ) lies substantially in a focal plane in the projection lens ( 4 ).

7. The lighting unit according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one diaphragm element ( 5 ) is arranged directly adjacent to the light guide unit ( 3 ).

8. The lighting unit according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one diaphragm element ( 5 ) contacts the light guide unit ( 3 ) in the region of the face thereof formed by the light decoupling faces ( 30 a ).

9. The lighting unit according to claim 1 , wherein the wall thickness (b) of the aperture partition walls ( 51 , 52 ) is constant over the entire thickness (d) of the at least one diaphragm element ( 5 ).

10. The lighting unit according to claim 1 , wherein the wall thickness (b) of the aperture partition walls ( 51 , 52 ) reduces over the thickness (d) of the at least one diaphragm element ( 5 ) in the light exit direction.

11. The lighting unit according to claim 10 , wherein the wall thickness of the aperture partition walls on the face ( 5 b ) facing the light guide unit ( 3 ) corresponds to the wall thickness (a) of the associated partition walls ( 31 , 32 ) between the light guides ( 3 ).

12. The lighting unit according to claim 1 , wherein each light guide ( 30 ) is delimited by two substantially vertical walls ( 31 ) and two substantially horizontal walls ( 32 ).

13. The lighting unit according to claim 12 , wherein on the face ( 5 a ) facing away from the light guide unit ( 3 ), at least the aperture partition walls ( 51 , 52 ) associated with the vertical and/or horizontal partition walls ( 31 , 32 ) between the light guides ( 30 ) have a smaller wall thickness (b) than the associated partition walls ( 31 ) of the light guide unit ( 3 ).

14. The lighting unit according to claim 12 , wherein on the faces ( 5 a ) facing away from the light guide unit ( 3 ), all aperture partition walls ( 51 , 52 ) associated with the partition walls ( 31 , 32 ) between the light guides ( 30 ) have a smaller wall thickness (b) than the associated partition walls ( 31 , 32 ) of the light guide unit ( 3 ).

15. The lighting unit according to claim 12 , wherein the light decoupling faces ( 30 a ) of the light guides ( 30 ) delimited by the walls ( 31 , 32 ) form a rectangle or a square.

16. The lighting unit according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one diaphragm element ( 5 ) is formed from a metal or a plastic.

17. The lighting unit according to claim 1 , wherein the aperture partition walls ( 51 , 52 ) reflect light.

18. The lighting unit according to claim 1 , wherein the apertures ( 50 ) in the diaphragm element are manufactured by blanking or laser cutting.

19. The lighting unit according to claim 1 , wherein the light sources ( 2 ) are LED light sources, and wherein each LED light source ( 2 ) comprises at least one light-emitting diode.

20. The lighting unit according to claim 19 , wherein each LED light source ( 2 ) can be actuated and switched on and off and/or dimmed separately.

21. The lighting unit according to claim 19 , wherein each light-emitting diode of the LED light source can be actuated and switched on and off and/or dimmed separately.

22. The lighting unit according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one diaphragm element ( 5 ) is formed as a two-dimensional component part.

23. A vehicle headlight comprising at least one lighting unit according to claim 1 .

24. The lighting unit according to claim 1 , wherein the headlight is a motor vehicle headlight.

25. The lighting unit according to claim 1 , wherein the light guides ( 30 ) are arranged in three rows arranged one above the other.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 30, 2016
From: ZIZALA LICHTSYSTEME GMBH
To: ZKW GROUP GMBH
Reel/Frame 039901/0962 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE EXECUTION DATE OF ASSIGNOR JOSEF PLANK TO 07/16/2014 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 033945 FRAME 0456. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Recorded Oct 17, 2014
From: GURTL, JOSEF; PLANK, JOSEF
To: ZIZALA LICHTSYSTEME GMBH
Reel/Frame 034012/0898 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 14, 2014
From: GURTL, JOSEF; PLANK, JOSEF
To: ZIZALA LICHTSYSTEME GMBH
Reel/Frame 033945/0456 →
Priority Claims (1)
AT A 50608/2012 · Dec 20, 2012 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150085523A1 · Mar 26, 2015