BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the invention
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of lighting systems, and in particular
lights for motor vehicles, of the type comprising one or more elementary cells, each
including: a transparent dielectric module in the form of a plate, with two opposite
main faces; a substantially point-like source set in the proximity of a first one
of the two main faces of said module; a primary reflector formed on the second of
the main faces of the module for reflecting a first time the light coming from the
source that has traversed the plate; and a secondary reflector formed on the first
main face of said module, for reflecting a second time the light already reflected
by the primary reflector and directing it towards the outside of the module, on the
side of said second main face, so as to collimate it in a pre-determined direction.
Prior art
[0002] A lighting system of the type specified above has already been proposed by the present
applicant in the European patent No. EP 0 766 115 B1 and in the corresponding U.S.
patent No. US 5 841 596, as likewise in the European patent No. EP 0 767 393 B1 and
in the corresponding U.S. patent No. US 5 884 995. In said system, illustrated in
Figure 1 of the annexed plate of drawings, the individual collimation cell operates
in a mode similar to a telescope of the Cassegrain type. With reference to Figure
1, a point-like light source 1 is located in the proximity of a first face I of a
transparent plate 2 made of plastic material. The light emitted by the source 1 is
coupled within the plate 2 through a transparent portion of said face I, impinges
upon a primary reflector 3 set on the second face II of the transparent portion and
generally obtained by coating a portion of said face II with a reflecting layer, and
is reflected by said primary reflector 3 towards a secondary reflector 4 set on the
face I about said transparent portion and generally obtained by coating a portion
of said face I with a reflecting layer. The light is again reflected by the secondary
reflector 4 towards the face II and exits from the plate through a transparent portion
of said face II, undergoing a refraction. The primary reflector 3 and secondary reflector
4 have shapes which are designed for producing in combination a collimation of the
beam emitted by the point-like source 1. The point-like source 1 can be located in
a position corresponding to the transparent portion of the face 1 and possibly englobed
in the plate in a position corresponding to said transparent portion.
[0003] In the above known solution, only one portion of the rays emitted by the source (which
typically has a lambertian emission lobe) is collected by the primary reflector, where
a significant portion of said rays is collected by the transparent portion of the
face II, through which the rays exit from the plate.
PURPOSE OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to improve the performance of the optical
system proposed previously by increasing control of the light distribution and hence
the value of intensity in a pre-determined direction.
THE INVENTION
[0005] According to the present invention, the aforesaid purpose is achieved by the fact
that:
- said primary reflector is made up of two parts: a central section A, which is substantially
curved and is coated with a reflecting layer, which is designed for reflecting a portion
of the rays emitted by the source; and a substantially plane and transparent peripheral
section B, which is designed to reflect in total internal reflection (TIR) another
portion of the rays emitted by the source; and
- said secondary reflector is made up of two sections: a first section C, which is coated
with a reflecting layer and is designed for receiving the light reflected by said
section A of said primary reflector and reflecting it towards said transparent section
B of said primary reflector; and a second section D, which is coated with a reflecting
layer and is designed to receive the light reflected in TIR by said transparent section
B and reflect it towards said section B of said primary reflector.
[0006] In the system according to the invention, the following two solutions are consequently
combined together:
1) the primary reflector A subtends an angle, with respect to the source, so that
the rays emitted by the source at larger angles are reflected by the transparent portion
B of the face II as a result of TIR; and
2) the secondary reflector consists of two portions: a portion C, which operates prevalently
on the rays reflected by the primary reflector A; and a portion D, which operates
prevalently on the rays reflected by TIR by the transparent portion B of the face
II.
[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the primary reflector A is radiused to the transparent
portion B with a continuous profile and with a continuous curvature, so that the portions
C and D of the secondary reflector operate in a substantially exclusive way on the
rays reflected by the primary reflector A and by the transparent portion B of the
face II, respectively.
[0008] Thanks to said solution, it is possible to design the reflector C so as to collimate
the rays coming from the reflector A, and the reflector D so as to collimate the rays
coming from the transparent portion B, thus maximizing control of the distribution.
A superimposition, even a partial one, of the rays (reflected by the primary reflector)
on the secondary reflector would not enable optimization of the secondary reflector
in said region of superimposition.
[0009] Further advantageous characteristics of the invention are specified in the annexed
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge clearly evident
in the course of the ensuing detailed description, which is provided purely by way
of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached plate of drawings, in which:
- Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a cell of the light according to the known art;
- Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a cell of the light according to a first embodiment
of the invention, with rotational symmetry, which is designed to be installed on a
motor vehicle so as to have the axis of revolution of the reflector parallel to the
longitudinal axis of the vehicle;
- Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a cell of the light according to a second embodiment
of the invention, which does not present rotational symmetry, and which is designed
to be installed on a motor vehicle so as to have the axis of revolution of the reflector
inclined by an angle β with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle;
- Figure 4 is a perspective view of a light according to the invention, designed to
be installed on a motor vehicle with the axis of the reflector not coinciding with
the longitudinal axis of the vehicle;
- Figures 5A, 5B, and 5C illustrate a cell of the light according to three variants
of the invention in the case where the primary reflector is of a parabolic type (Figure
5A), of an elliptical type (Figure 5B), and not with rotational symmetry (Figure 5C);
- Figure 6 illustrates a cell of the light according to a further variant of the invention,
in which the secondary reflector deviates the rays by a pre-determined angle, and
a transparent portion is provided that is equipped with micro-optical systems for
creating the required photometric pattern;
- Figure 7 illustrates a cell of the light according to a further embodiment, with a
hexagonal shape, in which the primary reflector A has not been illustrated in order
to highlight the secondary reflector made up of the parts C and D, the chip-LED source
being set at the centre of the cell;
- Figure 8 illustrates a simulation of the distribution of the light intensity obtained
with a non-sequential ray-tracing software, which shows control of the light distribution
achieved for an angle β of 45°; and
- Figure 9 is a perspective view of a light according to the invention made up of a
plurality of hexagonal cells.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the collimator according
to the present invention, in a plane of cross section perpendicular to the plate.
The parts corresponding to those of Figure 1 are designated by the same reference
numbers. Thus, the point-like light source (typically a chip-LED) is designated by
1. The plate, made of synthetic material, is designated by 2, and I and II designate
the two main faces of the plate 2 on which the primary reflector 3 and the secondary
reflector 4 are formed. As illustrated above, the primary reflector 3 has a central
section A, which is reflecting in so far as it is equipped with a reflecting coating
5, and a peripheral section B, which does not have a reflecting coating, but gives
rise to a total internal reflection (TIR) of the rays of light coming from inside
the plate with an angle of inclination with respect to the vertical direction of the
figure greater than a given value.
[0012] Consequently, all the rays R1 coming from the source 1 that impinge upon the central
section A of the primary reflector are reflected by the latter on the section C (which
is a central annular area of the face I) of the secondary reflector, which in turn
reflects them outwards in a direction substantially perpendicular to the section B,
so that the latter allows them to pass outwards. All of the rays R2 coming from the
source 1 that impinge directly upon the peripheral section B of the primary reflector
are reflected by this by TIR on the peripheral section D of the secondary reflector,
which then reflects them outwards, again in a direction substantially perpendicular
to the section B, so that the latter allows them to pass outwards.
[0013] In the example illustrated in Figure 2, the profile of the right-hand part (with
reference to the figure) of the section A of the primary reflector is a profile of
parabola with focus in a point corresponding to the source and axis AX inclined by
an angle α with respect to the vertical. The left-hand part of the section A has likewise
an axis passing through the source and set in a way specularly symmetrical with respect
to the axis AX. Consequently, said section A collimates the rays emitted by the source
with an angle α on the secondary reflector C.
[0014] The size of the primary reflector A is such as to subtend an angle with respect to
the source again equal to α, so that the point of radiusing between the sections A
and B is continuous both in profile and in curvature. The angle α is chosen so as
to be greater than the TIR angle so as to guarantee conditions of TIR on the entire
section B of the face II. The choice of an angle slightly greater than the TIR angle
enables minimization of the size of the primary reflector A.
[0015] As already mentioned, the rays reflected by the primary reflector A are subsequently
reflected by the secondary reflector C. The rays reflected by the transparent portion
B are instead reflected by the secondary reflector D. In the configuration of Figure
2, the light is installed on a motor vehicle so that the axis
z perpendicular to the surface of the cell is substantially parallel to the longitudinal
axis of the vehicle.
[0016] The primary reflector A generates an annular image of the point-like source. Said
image can be: at infinity, in the case of section A being parabolic; virtual, in the
case of section A being hyperbolic; or real, in the case of section A being elliptical.
The transparent reflecting portion B generates, instead, a virtual point-like image
of the chip-LED.
[0017] The secondary reflector C is a complex surface that operates on the rays reflected
by the primary reflector A in order to generate a desired distribution of light. The
secondary reflector D operates, instead, on the rays reflected by the transparent
reflector B to generate a desired distribution of light. Each of the two surfaces
C and D can be segmented into a number of sectors so as to have an envelope in common
(and continuous in the point of radiusing).
[0018] As very frequently occurs, the light cannot be positioned perpendicular to the longitudinal
axis of the vehicle, but rather inclined with respect to two angles: the first is
formed by rotating the light with respect to the axis Y (which exits from the plane
of the figure); the second is formed by rotating it with respect to the axis X (see
Figure 4).
[0019] These two rotations are equivalent, on account of the design of the optical surfaces,
to just one rotation. In fact, we shall introduce a unit vector
p that defines the direction of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. We shall define,
then, a new system of cartesian co-ordinates X', Y', Z', in which Z' = Z and the axis
X' coincides with the projection of the unit vector
p on the external surface of the light. In the system X', Y', Z', the two rotations
defined above are equivalent to just one rotation with respect to the axis Y', with
an angle comprised between the unit vector
p and the plane X',Y'.
[0020] For this reason, on account of the design of the reflecting surfaces, it is sufficient
to consider just one angle of rotation with respect to the axis Y designated, in Figure
3, by β. Figure 3 shows precisely a cell of the light according to the invention,
designed for being installed so as to have the axis of the reflector oriented by the
angle β with respect to the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle.
[0021] The primary reflector A is constituted by a surface of an elliptical, parabolic or
hyperbolic type. Figure 3 represents the case of a parabolic type (similar to Figure
2), in which the axis of rotation of the parabola has an angle α with respect to the
straight line perpendicular to the faces of the cell.
[0022] The choice of the type of surface of the primary reflector A is dictated by the angle
β, by the thickness of the device, and by considerations regarding the luminance of
the cell.
[0023] Figure 5A illustrates a case where the surface of the primary is of a parabolic type,
and the angle of collimation β is such that a part of the light reflected by the secondary
reflector C arrives again on the primary reflector (in the portion designated by 4);
this entails a loss of efficiency of the device or, in any case, a loss of control
of part of the light. In order to prevent this effect, it is possible to resort, in
the case of Figure 5A, to a different shape of the primary reflector. Figure 5B illustrates
a type of primary reflector A of elliptical cross section with one focus in the source
and the other focus determined with the following methodology: considering the left-hand
side of the profile of the cell of Figure 5B, the focus 2 is determined as the intersection
of the two extreme rays 1 and 4 reflected by the primary reflector A. The point 1
is the point of intersection between the primary reflector A and the transparent section
B, the TIR angle determines the ray reflected by the point 1 of the primary reflector.
The ray reflected by the point 4 is chosen so that the ray reflected by the secondary
reflector C will exit from the cell with an angle β passing through the point 1, preventing
it from arriving back, as occurred in the case of Figure 5A on the primary reflector
A. Considering the right-hand side of the profile of the cell of Figure 5B, it is
noted that the focus 2 of the primary reflector A determines an area 3 of the transparent
section B from which rays do not exit. Said area 3 will present as an area of shadow,
if the observer is positioned in the direction given by the angle β. The configuration
of Figure B enables efficiency/control of the light emitted by the device not to be
lost, but leads to an extension of the area of shadow represented by the primary reflector
A.
[0024] In order to overcome both of the drawbacks, loss of efficiency/control and lack of
uniformity of luminance, the primary reflector A can be built not having rotational
symmetry as indicated in Figure 5C. The cross section of Figure 5C illustrates a surface
having a cross section of an elliptical type in the left-hand area of the profile
of the cell and of a parabolic type in the right-hand area.
[0025] The secondary reflector, in this example of light, is not a surface of rotation.
The part of reflector C deflects the rays coming from the primary reflector A so that,
after the interface B, they will exit with a preferential angle β to form the desired
distribution of intensity. The part of reflector D receives the rays that impinge
upon the interface B with an angle greater than the limit angle (TIR) and deflects
them according to the same principle as that of the reflector C.
[0026] The part of transparent surface B may be smooth, in which case the distribution of
intensity is created by the reflecting surfaces C and D; there may be provided an
additional transparent portion, on the internal surface of which there are present
microlenses or prisms calculated so as to widen the distribution of light. Figure
6 is an example of configuration in which the array of microlenses is inserted in
the internal part of a transparent portion set in front of the individual elementary
cells. Said transparent portion bearing the microlenses may be colourless or else
coloured.
[0027] Also the dielectric plate which is designed for collimating the light emitted by
the sources can be coloured; in both cases, the colour of the transparent portion
must be such as to transmit all or almost all of the light of the wavelength emitted
by the corresponding microsource or microsources.
[0028] The individual elementary cells which make up the light may have any geometrical
shape (circular, rectangular, hexagonal, etc.), said shape being dictated, principally,
by stylistic reasons. Figure 7 is a front view of a hexagonal elementary cell. The
chip-LED source is positioned in the centre and is visible in so far as the primary
reflector A has been masked in order to highlight the absence of rotational symmetry
of the secondary reflectors C and D.
[0029] On the elementary cell of Figure 7, which is optimized to present an angle β of 45°,
simulations have been made, obtained with non-sequential ray-tracing software. Figure
8 represents the distribution of intensity in which the excellent degree of control
of the outgoing beam is highlighted. The value of efficiency of the device is equal
to 70%, with a value of reflectance of the reflecting surfaces of 0.85.
[0030] For the purposes of the present invention, the number of sources for each individual
cell that forms part of the light does not emerge as a constraint. It is in fact possible
to set alongside one another a number of microsources about the axis of the individual
elementary cell in order to increase the flow of light.
[0031] The arrangement of the individual cells for the composition of the light can be obtained
in various ways, dictated by requirements of a stylistic nature and of encumbrance
that the light must satisfy. Figure 9 illustrates, by way of example, a case in which
a multitude of cells with a hexagonal shape have been set alongside one another.
[0032] Of course, without prejudice to the principle of the invention, the details of construction
and the embodiments may vary widely with respect to what is described and illustrated
herein purely by way of example, without thereby departing from the scope of the present
invention.
1. A lighting system, in particular a motor-vehicle light, made up of at least one elementary
cell, each cell including: a transparent dielectric module in the form of a plate
(2), with two opposite main faces (I, II); a substantially point-like source (1) set
in the proximity of a first (I) of the two main faces of said module; a primary reflector
(3) formed on the second (II) of the main faces of the module for reflecting a first
time light coming from the source (1) that has traversed the plate (2); and a secondary
reflector (4) formed on the first main face (I) of said module, for reflecting a second
time the light already reflected by the primary reflector and directing it towards
the outside of the module, on the side of said second main face (II), so as to collimate
it in a pre-determined direction,
said lighting system being
characterized in that:
- said primary reflector (3) is made up of two parts: a substantially curved central
section (A), coated with a reflecting layer (5) which is designed to reflect a portion
of the rays emitted by the source (1); and a substantially plane and transparent peripheral
section (B), which is designed to reflect in total internal reflection (TIR) another
portion of the rays emitted by the source (1); and
- said secondary reflector is made up of two sections: a first section (C), which
is coated with a reflecting layer and is designed for receiving the light reflected
by said central section (A) of said primary reflector and reflecting it towards said
transparent section (B) of said primary reflector; and a second section (D), which
is coated with a reflecting layer and is designed for receiving the light reflected
in TIR by said transparent section B and reflecting it again outwards through said
section B.
2. The device according to Claim 0, characterized in that said reflecting layers on the surfaces A, C and D are metal coatings.
3. The device according to Claim 0, characterized in that said reflecting layers on the surfaces A, C and D are multilayer dielectric coatings.
4. The device according to Claim 0, characterized in that said reflecting layer on the surface A is partially transparent so as to transmit
a portion of the light emitted by the source and incident on said primary reflector
A.
5. The device according to Claim 0, characterized in that said primary reflector A is constituted by a surface obtained through the revolution
of at least one segment of conical curve (understood as line resulting from the intersection
of a cone with a plane) about an axis passing through the source and perpendicular
to the main faces of the plate.
6. The device according to Claim 0, characterized in that the source is positioned in the proximity of the focus of said conical curve.
7. The device according to Claim 0, characterized in that said segment of conical curve is a segment of parabola having axis inclined towards
the outside by an angle greater than or equal to the TIR angle.
8. The device according to Claim 0, characterized in that said segment of conical curve is a segment of ellipse having the first focus in the
proximity of the source.
9. The device according to Claim 0, characterized in that said primary reflector A is constituted by a surface not of revolution.
10. The device according to Claim 0, characterized in that said section A of the primary reflector and said section B of the primary reflector
are radiused together so that both the profile and the curvature are continuous in
the locus of the points of radiusing.
11. The device according to Claim 0, characterized in that said secondary reflector C is constituted by a multiplicity of segments of quadric
surfaces, for example paraboloids, ellipsoids or hyperboloids, radiused together in
a discontinuous way.
12. The device according to Claim 0, characterized in that said secondary reflector C is constituted by a multiplicity of segments of asymmetrical
cones, which are designed for collimating the light coming from the annular image
of the source, said image being generated by said surface of revolution of the primary
reflector A, in a pre-determined direction.
13. The device according to Claim 0, characterized in that said secondary reflector D is constituted by a multiplicity of segments of quadric
surfaces, for example paraboloids, ellipsoids or hyperboloids, radiused together in
a discontinuous way.
14. The device according to Claim 0, characterized in that said quadric surfaces are paraboloids of rotation having their focus in the virtual
image of the source, said image being generated by the transparent section B of said
primary reflector.
15. The device according to Claim 0, characterized in that said paraboloids of rotation have axes mutually parallel so as to collimate the light
in a pre-determined direction.
16. The device according to Claim 0, characterized in that said paraboloids of rotation have axes that are not mutually parallel, oriented so
as to form a pre-determined distribution of light.
17. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said transparent plate is colourless.
18. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said transparent plate is coloured and in that colouring of each elementary cell is such as not to absorb the light emitted by the
source in said cell.
19. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in at least one of said cells is present more than one source, said sources being
positioned close to one another.
20. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said source is a LED in the form of a chip, i.e., without the package.
21. The device according to Claim 0, characterized in that said chip is englobed in the plate.
22. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the thickness of the plate is less than 15 mm.
23. The device according to any 'one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a second transparent portion is provided in a position corresponding to the beam
coming out of said plate.
24. The device according to Claim 0, characterized in that said transparent portion is coloured, whilst the dielectric constituting said plate
is colourless.
25. The device according to Claim 0, characterized in that said transparent portion has, on its internal surface facing said plate, a multiplicity
of microlenses and/or prisms which are designed for conforming/deflecting the light
beam coming out of said plate.
26. A light for a vehicle, in particular a back light, characterized in that it comprises a device according to any one of the preceding claims.
27. A headlight for a vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a device according to any one of Claims 1 to 25.