Light device, especially a signal lamp for motor vehicles
A light device, especially a signal lamp for motor vehicles, includes a carrier housing ( 1 ) covered by a translucent cover ( 2 ) and an internal chamber ( 3 ) that houses an optical system comprising a light source ( 13 ) to generate coherent light ( 101 ) with a high luminous intensity. The optical system further comprises a lens ( 6 ) to direct the coherent light ( 101 ) generated by the light source ( 13 ) into a focused light beam ( 102 ), a divider ( 7 ) to divide the focused light beam ( 102 ) into separate light streams ( 103 ), and a diffusion means ( 9 ) to transform the light streams ( 103 ) entering the diffusion means ( 9 ) into homogenized light beams ( 104 ), the above mentioned parts of the optical system being arranged and configured for creating, in the front view, a spatial and/or designer light effect.
1. A light device, especially a signal lamp for motor vehicles, comprising a carrier housing ( 1 ) covered by a translucent cover ( 2 ) and having an internal chamber ( 3 ) that houses an optical system comprising:
(a) a light source ( 13 ) to generate coherent light ( 101 ) with a high luminous intensity,
(b) a lens ( 6 ) to direct the coherent light ( 101 ) generated by the light source ( 13 ) into a focused light beam ( 102 ),
(c) a splitter ( 7 ) configured to split the focused light beam ( 102 ) into several separate light streams ( 103 ) of light rays, each of the separate light streams ( 103 ) having a propagation axis along which the separate light streams ( 103 ) exit the splitter ( 7 ) thereby providing a plurality of propagation axes exiting the splitter ( 7 ), wherein the propagation axes of the separate light streams ( 103 ) are mutually diverging and/or parallel, and
(d) a diffusion element ( 9 ) configured to transform each of the separate light streams ( 103 ) of light rays entering the diffusion element ( 9 ) into separate homogenized light beams ( 104 ) of light rays,
wherein the light device is configured to create pre-defined light macro patterns ( 105 ) on a display surface (ZY) situated outside a motor vehicle so that each light macro pattern ( 105 ) is created by one of the homogenized light beams.
2. The light device according to claim 1 , wherein the light source ( 13 ) comprises at least one laser diode.
3. The light device according to claim 1 , wherein the diffusion element ( 9 ) is arranged at the exit from the optical system for emission of the homogenized light beams ( 104 ) from the diffusion element ( 9 ) in a direction that is approximately parallel to a longitudinal axis (X) of the vehicle.
4. The light device according to claim 1 , wherein the splitter ( 7 ) is configured to bend light through diffraction.
5. The light device according to claim 1 , wherein the diffusion element ( 9 ) comprises a microstructure ( 10 ) for further improvement of the homogenization.
6. The light device according to claim 1 , wherein the diffusion element ( 9 ) is designed to provide a change of the colour spectrum of the light streams ( 103 ).
7. The light device according to claim 1 , wherein the optical system comprises a reflector ( 11 ) configured to route the homogenized light beams ( 104 ) to a direction that is approximately parallel to a longitudinal axis (X) of the vehicle.
8. The light device according to claim 7 , wherein the reflector ( 11 ) is provided with a diffusion segment ( 12 ).
9. The light device according to claim 7 , wherein the optical system comprises reflective surfaces ( 8 ) that are located and designed to route the light streams ( 103 ) to the reflector ( 11 ) and/or to the diffusion element ( 9 ).
10. The light device according to claim 1 , wherein the optical system comprises a safety element ( 19 ) positioned in such a way that at least a portion of the light streams ( 103 ) fall onto it, the safety element ( 19 ) being configured to switch off the light source ( 13 ) if it detects characteristics of the light stream ( 103 ) that are harmful to human health or otherwise unacceptable.
11. The light device according to claim 1 , wherein the light source ( 13 ), lens ( 6 ) and splitter ( 7 ) are installed in a light unit ( 5 ) that further comprises a holder or series of holders ( 15 , 16 , 17 ) to fix the light source ( 13 ), lens ( 6 ) and splitter ( 7 ) in the light unit ( 5 ).
12. The light device according to claim 11 , wherein a cap ( 20 ) is located at the exit side of the light streams ( 103 ) from the splitter ( 7 ).
13. The light device according to claim 1 , wherein the optical system further comprises an optical element ( 21 ) designed to increase the homogeneity, intensity, or to change the light flux direction.
14. The light device according to claim 13 , wherein the optical element ( 21 ) is a light guide at the exit of which the diffusion element ( 9 ) is installed.