IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,293,614
Granted Patent B2
US 11,293,614 · App. 17/264,975 · Granted Apr 5, 2022

Projection apparatus consisting of a plurality of micro-optical systems, and lighting module for a motor vehicle headlamp

Inventors: Andreas Moser (Perg, AT); Bernhard Mandl (Ober-Grafendorf, AT); Friedrich Bauer (Bergland, AT)
Assignee: ZKW GROUP GMBH
F21S41/265F21S41/143F21S41/43F21S41/663
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,293,614
App. No.
17/264,975
Granted
Apr 5, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed is a projection apparatus ( 2 ) for a lighting module ( 1 ) of a motor vehicle headlamp, the projection apparatus ( 2 ) being formed by a plurality of micro-optical systems ( 3 ) that are arranged like a matrix; each micro-optical system ( 3 ) includes a micro-input optical element ( 30 ), a micro-output optical element ( 31 ) associated with the micro-input optical element ( 30 ), and a micro-diaphragm ( 32 ), all micro-input optical elements ( 31 ) forming an input optical unit ( 4 ), all micro-output optical elements ( 31 ) forming an output optical unit ( 5 ), and the micro-diaphragms ( 32 ) forming a diaphragm device ( 6 ); the diaphragm device ( 6 ) is disposed in a plane extending substantially perpendicularly to the main direction of emission (Z) of the projection apparatus ( 2 ), while the input optical unit ( 4 ), the output optical unit ( 5 ) and the diaphragm device ( 6 ) are disposed in planes extending substantially parallel to one another; all of the micro-optical systems ( 3 ) are subdivided into at least two micro-optical system groups (G 1 , G 2 , G 3 ), and the micro-diaphragms ( 32 ) of the micro-optical systems ( 3 ) of each micro-optical system group (G 1 , G 2 , G 3 ) can be projected in focus by means of light having at least one optical wavelength (λG, λG 2 , λG 3 ) lying within a predefined optical wavelength range, the predefined optical wavelength ranges being different in different micro-optical system groups (G 1 , G 2 , G 3 ).

Claims (42)

1. A lighting module ( 1 ) for a motor vehicle headlamp, the lighting module comprising:

a light source ( 7 ); and

a projection apparatus which comprises:

a plurality of micro-optical systems ( 3 ) arranged in a matrix-like manner, wherein each micro-optical system ( 3 ) has a micro-input optical element ( 30 ), a micro-output optical element ( 31 ) associated with the micro-input optical element ( 30 ), and a micro-diaphragm ( 32 ),

wherein all the micro-input optical elements ( 31 ) form an input optical unit ( 4 ), all the micro-output optical elements ( 31 ) form an output optical unit ( 5 ), and the micro-diaphragms ( 32 ) form a diaphragm device ( 6 ),

wherein the diaphragm device ( 6 ) is arranged in a plane substantially orthogonal to the main radiation direction (Z) of the projection apparatus ( 2 ), and the input optical unit ( 4 ), the output optical unit ( 5 ), and the diaphragm device ( 6 ), are arranged in planes substantially parallel to each other,

wherein the entirety of the micro-optical systems ( 3 ) is divided into at least two micro-optical system groups (G 1 , G 2 , G 3 ), and

wherein the micro-diaphragms ( 32 ) of the micro-optical systems ( 3 ) of each of the at least two micro-optical system group (G 1 , G 2 , G 3 ) can be sharply imaged by light of at least one light wavelength (λ G1 , λ G2 , λ G3 ) from a predefined light wavelength range, and the predefined light wavelength ranges are different for different ones of the at least two micro-optical system groups (G 1 , G 2 , G 3 );

wherein the projection apparatus ( 2 ) is arranged downstream of the light source ( 7 ) in the light radiation direction, and is configured to project light generated by the light source ( 7 ) into a region in front of the lighting module in the form of a light distribution ( 8 ) with a bright/dark boundary ( 80 ),

wherein the light distribution is formed by a plurality of overlapping partial light distributions, each with a partial bright/dark boundary, and each partial light distribution is formed by exactly one micro-optical system group,

wherein each partial bright/dark boundary has a color fringe of a predefined color, and different partial bright/dark boundaries have color fringes of different colors, and each color corresponds to a light wavelength (λ G1 , λ G2 , λ G3 ) from a predefined light wavelength range, and

wherein the color fringes are overlayed to form a white color fringe.

2. The lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein:

in each micro-optical system ( 3 ) at least a part of the micro-diaphragm ( 32 ) is spaced apart from the micro-output optical element ( 31 ) by a distance (d, d 1 , d 2 , d 3 ),

the distance (d, d 1 , d 2 , d 3 ) depends on the at least one light wavelength (λ d , λ G1 , λ G2 , λ G3 ) from a predefined light wavelength range, and is the same within the same micro-optical system group (G 1 , G 2 , G 3 ), and

the distances (d 1 , d 2 , d 3 ) are different for the micro-optical systems ( 3 ) from different micro-optical system groups (G 1 , G 2 , G 3 ).

3. The lighting module according to claim 2 , wherein:

differences (Δ d12 , Δ d23 ) between the distances (d 1 , d 2 , d 3 ) in different micro-optical system groups (G 1 , G 2 , G 3 ) amount to about 0.01 mm to about 0.12 mm, and

the micro-output optical elements ( 31 ) have a focal length which depends on the at least one light wavelength (λ d , λ G1 , λ G2 , λ G3 ) from a predefined light wavelength range, and on the diameter of the respective micro-output optical element ( 31 ).

4. The lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein:

the micro-output optical element ( 31 ) of each micro-optical system ( 3 ) has a light-output surface with a predefined curvature (k 1 , k 2 ),

the predefined curvature (k 1 , k 2 ) depends on the at least one light wavelength (λ G1 , λ G2 , λ G3 ) from a predefined light wavelength range and is the same within the same micro-optical system group (G 1 , G 2 , G 3 ), and

the predefined curvatures (k 1 , k 2 ) are different for the micro-optical systems ( 3 ) from different micro-optical system groups (G 1 , G 2 , G 3 ).

5. The lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein at least some of the micro-diaphragms ( 32 ) of each micro-optical system group (G 1 , G 2 , G 3 ) have edges ( 320 , 320 a , 320 b , 320 c , 320 d , 320 e ), which are designed to image a substantially horizontal micro-bright/dark boundary.

6. The lighting module according to claim 5 , wherein the micro-bright/dark boundaries can be sharply imaged for different micro-optical system groups by light of the different light wavelengths (λ G1 , λ G2 , λ G3 ).

7. The lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein the different micro-optical system groups (G 1 , G 2 , G 3 ) are designed separately from each other, and are spaced apart.

8. The lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein:

the micro-diaphragms ( 32 ) of each micro-optical system group (G 1 , G 2 , G 3 ) are combined to form a micro-diaphragm group, and the micro-diaphragm groups are of identical design,

each micro-diaphragm ( 32 ) is designed as a platelet of an opaque material with an aperture ( 321 , 321 a , 321 b , 321 c , 321 d , 321 e ), and

each micro-diaphragm ( 32 ) has a finite thickness (D) along the main radiation direction (Z).

9. The lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein the partial bright/dark boundaries and the bright/dark boundary run substantially straight or have an asymmetric slope ( 80 ).

10. The lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein the light source ( 7 ) is configured to generate collimated light.

11. The lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein the light source ( 7 ) comprises a light-collimating optical element ( 9 ) and a semiconductor-based lighting element ( 10 ).

12. The lighting module according to claim 1 , wherein the light source ( 7 ) has at least two light-emitting regions ( 70 , 71 , 72 ), wherein each individual light-emitting region can be controlled independently of the other light-emitting regions of the light source ( 7 ), for example can be switched on and off, and at least one, preferably exactly one, micro-optical system group (G 1 , G 2 , G 3 ) is assigned to each light-emitting region ( 70 , 71 , 72 ) in such a way that light generated by the respective light-emitting region ( 70 , 71 , 72 ) impinges directly and only onto the micro-optical system group (G 1 , G 2 , G 3 ) assigned to this light-emitting region ( 70 , 71 , 72 ).

13. A motor vehicle headlamp comprising at least one lighting module according to claim 1 .

14. The lighting module according to claim 3 , wherein the differences (Δ d12 , Δ d23 ) between the distances (d 1 , d 2 , d 3 ) in different micro-optical system groups (G 1 , G 2 , G 3 ) range from about 0.01 mm to about 0.06 mm.

15. The lighting module according to claim 14 , wherein the differences (Δ d12 , Δ d23 ) between the distances (d 1 , d 2 , d 3 ) in different micro-optical system groups (G 1 , G 2 , G 3 ) range from about 0.01 mm to about 0.03 mm.

16. The lighting module according to claim 8 , wherein the finite thickness (D) along the main radiation direction (Z) is about 0.01 mm to about 0.12 mm.

17. The lighting module according to claim 16 , wherein the finite thickness (D) along the main radiation direction (Z) is about 0.06 mm.

18. The lighting module according to claim 11 , wherein:

the semiconductor-based lighting element ( 10 ) is an LED light source, and/or

the light-collimating optical element ( 9 ) is a collimator, a light-collimating optical attachment, or a TIR lens.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2021
From: MOSER, ANDREAS; MANDL, BERNHARD; BAUER, FRIEDRICH
To: ZKW GROUP GMBH
Reel/Frame 055131/0115 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 18187726 · Aug 7, 2018 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210325016A1 · Oct 21, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,338,964