IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,276,389
Granted Patent B2
US 12,276,389 · App. 18/665,469 · Granted Apr 15, 2025

Illumination device for a motor vehicle

Inventors: Martin Muegge (Geseke, DE); Diana Mundt (Lippstadt, DE); Thomas Rettweiler (Lippstadt, DE)
Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
F21S41/40F21S41/143F21S41/153F21S41/36F21S41/663F21S43/14F21S43/15F21S43/265F21S43/31F21S43/601
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,276,389
App. No.
18/665,469
Granted
Apr 15, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An illumination device for a motor vehicle having a printed circuit board with a plurality of light emitting diodes disposed thereon. An optical pane and a reflector element are provided, whereby the reflector element is disposed between the printed circuit board and the optical pane. The reflector element has a plurality of segments into which the reflector element is divided. Each light emitting diode is assigned a segment so that light emitted from the light emitting diodes is reflected by the segments of the reflector element and passes through the optical pane.

Claims (21)

1. An illumination device for a motor vehicle, the illumination device comprising:

a printed circuit board;

a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged on the printed circuit board;

an optical pane;

a reflector element arranged between the printed circuit board and the optical pane, the reflector element having a plurality of segments into which the reflector element is divided,

wherein each light emitting diode is assigned a respective one of the segments so that light emitted from the light emitting diodes is reflected by reflective walls of the segments of the reflector element and passes through the optical pane, and

wherein the light emitting diodes are radial-beam light emitting diodes and the reflective walls of the segments are each obliquely angled with respect to the printed circuit board.

2. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein the radial-beam light emitting diodes are designed such that light radiates radially outwards at a circumference of each of the radial-beam light emitting diodes.

3. The illumination device according to claim 2 , wherein the radial-beam light emitting diodes are designed such that the light radiates radially outwards at least over half of the circumference of each of the radial-beam light emitting diodes or substantially along an entirety of the circumference of each of the radial-beam light emitting diodes.

4. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein each light emitting diode is assigned a respective one of the segments such that light emitted from each light emitting diode is reflected by the reflector element and passes through the optical pane in an area of the respective one of the segments assigned to each respective one of the light emitting diodes.

5. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between the light emitting diodes and the optical pane is less than 15 mm.

6. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein the segments have a triangular shape, a rectangular shape, a pentagonal shape, a hexagonal shape or other polygonal shape.

7. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of segments are grouped together to form repeating row- and column-by-column arrangements on the reflector element.

8. The illumination device according to claim 7 , wherein the arrangements each have a corresponding form to the segments.

9. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein the illumination device has a grating mask, which delimits the segments from each other.

10. The illumination device according to claim 9 , wherein the grating mask is designed as a sheet metal, a foil, an injection molding part and/or a laser ablation of the optical pane.

11. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein the illumination device also has a housing in which the printed circuit board, the reflector element and the optical pane are included.

12. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein a front and/or a back of the optical pane has optical scattering elements thereon.

13. An illumination system for a motor vehicle, the illumination system comprising an illumination device according to claim 1 and a control unit to control a light signature display of the illumination device.

14. The illumination system according to claim 13 , wherein the illumination system further comprises a plurality of illumination devices and wherein the control unit is set up to control at least two of the plurality of illumination devices to display a common light signature.

15. A motor vehicle comprising an illumination device according to claim 1 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2024
From: MUEGGE, MARTIN; MUNDT, DIANA; RETTWEILER, THOMAS
To: HELLA GMBH & CO. KGAA
Reel/Frame 069647/0270 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2021 129 668.4 · Nov 15, 2021 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTEP2022080227 · Oct 28, 2022
Related Publication 20240302015A1 · Sep 12, 2024
References Cited (16)
US 8807809B2 · Kloos · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 9656598B1 · Salter et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 11408592B2 · Owens · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11940118B2 · Michaelis et al. · 2024 [cited by applicant]
US 20050138852A1 · Yamauchi · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20100033956A1 · Kirchberger · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20100091507A1 · Li · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20200150333A1 · Vasylyev · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200263854A1 · Booij · 2020 [cited by examiner]
DE 19738972A1 · 1999 [cited by applicant]
DE 102011054234A1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
DE 102017103421A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
DE 102016119326A1 · 2018 [cited by examiner]
DE 102020107728A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
JP 2002245813A · 2002 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report dated Feb. 7, 2023 in corresponding application PCT/EP2022/080227. [cited by applicant]
Cited By (1)
US 1,135,686