AUTOMOTIVE LIGHT

Abstract

 Automotive light (1), wherein the lighting assembly (4) comprises: a substantially basin-shaped reflector body (5), which is placed inside the rear body (2) and is internally provided with a reflecting surface (5a) shaped so as to reflect the incident light towards said transparent or semitransparent sector (3a) of the front half-shell (3); and at least one row of LEDs (6) that are arranged inside the rear body (2) close to the reflector body (5), and direct the light produced towards the reflecting surface (5a) of said reflector body (5); at least one light-guide plate (10) made of photoconductive material, which is arranged inside the rear body (2), beside the reflector body (5), with its rear sidewall (10b) on a side of the row of LEDs (6) so as to be illuminated by a minor part of the light emitted by said LEDs (6).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an automotive light.

[0002] More in detail, the present invention relates to a headlight or taillight for cars and similar vehicles, i.e. a lighting apparatus adapted to be incorporated into a motor vehicle with the function of signalling the position, the sudden deceleration and/or the turning direction, and/or with the function of illuminating the area surrounding the vehicle. Use to which the following description will make explicit reference without however losing generality.

[0003] As is known, the taillights for cars and similar vehicle generally comprise: a rigid and substantially basin-shaped rear body which is structured so as to be stably recessed into a compartment specially realized in the rear part of the bodywork of the vehicle; a front half-shell which is arranged to close the mouth of the rear body so as to surface outside the bodywork of the vehicle, and is generally provided with a plurality of transparent or semitransparent sectors, usually differently coloured to one another; and a series of lighting assemblies that are located inside the rear body, each immediately beneath a respective transparent or semitransparent sector of the front half-shell, so as to be able to selectively backlight the overlying transparent or semitransparent sector of the front half-shell.

[0004] Usually, each transparent or semitransparent sector of the front half-shell is moreover uniquely associated with a specific light signal adapted to signal the position of the vehicle, the sudden deceleration of the vehicle or the turning direction of the vehicle during travel.

[0005] Each lighting assembly, therefore, is specifically structured to emit, on command, a light beam that, once coming out from the taillight through the corresponding transparent or semitransparent sector of the half-shell, meets the approval specifications (colour and light distribution) required for the corresponding light signal.

[0006] Over the last few years, some car manufacturers have chosen to provide their new car models with taillights in which the front half-shell has one or more transparent or semitransparent ribbon-like sectors, i.e. one or more transparent or semitransparent sectors with a narrow and very elongated shape.

[0007] The lighting assemblies that have to backlight the transparent or semitransparent ribbon-like sectors of the half-shell usually comprise: a large light-guide plate which is made of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) or other photoconductive material, and is placed inside the rear body with the front sidewall skimming over the transparent or semitransparent ribbon-like sector to be backlighted, substantially along the entire length of the same transparent or semitransparent sector, and with the rear sidewall facing the bottom of the rear body; and a row of high-power LEDs (acronym for Light Emitting Diode) that are arranged close to the rear sidewall of the light-guide plate, and are oriented so as to direct the light produced inside the light-guide plate. This light then travels inside the body of the light-guide plate by total internal reflection, and comes out from the front sidewall of the light-guide plate, backlighting the facing transparent or semitransparent sector of the front half-shell.

[0008] Aesthetic or approval needs often require to associate/ combine/flank, with the above mentioned transparent or semitransparent ribbon-like sectors, also additional emitting areas with greater extension, so that the overall intensity of the light beam exiting from the taillight meets the aesthetic and/or approval specifications envisaged or required for the light signal.

[0009] For example, in patent application US2008/0013333 A1 it is disclosed an automotive light having, behind the light-guide plate, small parabolic reflectors that divert, towards the front half-shell, the light rays emitted by the LEDs that are very angled and therefore fail to reach the rear sidewall of the light-guide plate.

[0010] In this way, a transparent or semitransparent sector with a brighter central section is obtained.

[0011] Unfortunately, with this constructive solution, the differences in light intensity in the different areas of the front half-shell are too evident/marked and, therefore, are unwelcome to the market. A light signal that varies excessively in intensity along the front half-shell of the light, in fact, is considered unaesthetic by the external observer and is therefore unwelcome to the car manufacturers.

[0012] In addition, in patent application US2008/0013333 A1 the particular structure of the light-guide plate does not allow to place all the LEDs on a single support board, with the problems of taillight mounting that this entails.

[0013] Aim of the present invention is to obviate the above-described drawbacks by creating a taillight for cars which is capable of producing new light tricks that are different from those produced by the taillights currently on the market.

[0014] In accordance with these aims, according to the present invention there is provided an automotive light as defined in Claim 1 and preferably, though not necessarily, in any one of the claims depending on it.

[0015] The present invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate a nonlimiting embodiment thereof, in which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a taillight for cars realized according to the teachings of the present invention, with parts in section and parts removed for clarity's sake;
• Figure 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the taillight shown in Figure 1, with parts removed for clarity's sake;
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of the upper part of the taillight shown in Figure 1, with parts in section and parts removed for clarity's sake;
• Figure 4 is a schematic side view of the lighting assembly shown in Figure 3, with parts in section and parts removed for clarity's sake;
• Figures 5, 6 and 7 are perspective views of the lighting assembly shown in Figures 3 and 4, with parts in section and parts removed for clarity's sake; whereas
• Figure 8 and 9 show some details of the lighting assembly shown in Figure 3 to 7, with parts in section and parts removed for clarity's sake.

[0016] With reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, number 1 denotes as a whole an automotive light, i.e. a lighting apparatus particularly adapted to be firmly fixed on the front or rear part of the bodywork of a motor vehicle, with the function of emitting light signals adapted to signal the position of the vehicle and/or the sudden deceleration of the vehicle and/or the turning direction of the vehicle during travel and/or with the function of illuminating the area surrounding the vehicle.

[0017] Preferably the automotive light 1 is moreover structured to be stably recessed into the bodywork of the vehicle (not shown) so as to surface outside the latter.

[0018] In the example shown, in particular, the automotive light 1 is preferably structured to be recessed into the rear part of the bodywork of a car or other similar motor vehicle.

[0019] In other words, the automotive light 1 is preferably a taillight for cars and the like.

[0020] Obviously, in a different embodiment the automotive light 1 may be also structured so as to be simply fixed cantilevered on the front or rear part of the bodywork of the vehicle (not shown).

[0021] With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the automotive light 1 in particular comprises: a substantially rigid and preferably made of plastic material, rear body 2 which is substantially basin-shaped and is structured to be firmly fixed to the bodywork of the vehicle (not shown); and a substantially rigid and preferably made of plastic material, front half-shell 3, traditionally called lens, which is arranged to close the mouth of rear body 2, preferably so as to surface outside of the bodywork of the vehicle, and is moreover provided with one or more transparent or semitransparent sectors, optionally also coloured.

[0022] In addition, automotive light 1 also comprises one or more electrically-powered lighting assemblies, each of which emits light on command and is placed inside the rear body 2, underneath a corresponding transparent or semitransparent sector of front half-shell 3, so as to be able to selectively backlight the same transparent or semitransparent sector of front half-shell 3, preferably separately and independently from the other lighting assemblies.

[0023] Preferably, the or at least one of the lighting assemblies of automotive light 1 is furthermore structured so as to direct the light towards the corresponding and facing transparent or semitransparent sector of front half-shell 3, with a prevailing component of the light beam substantially parallel to a given reference axis, which is preferably substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle when the automotive light 1 is correctly mounted/placed on the bodywork of the vehicle.

[0024] In other words, most of the light rays forming the light beam that comes out of the lighting assembly is substantially parallel to the reference axis of the lighting assembly.

[0025] More in detail, the rear body 2 is preferably structured so as to be at least partially recessed into a seat specially realized in the rear part of the bodywork of the vehicle (not shown).

[0026] Obviously, in a different embodiment the rear body 2 may also be structured so as to be at least partially recessed into a seat specially made in the front part of the bodywork of the vehicle (not shown), or so as to be simply fixed cantilevered on the front or rear part of the bodywork of the vehicle.

[0027] In the example shown, moreover, the rear body 2 is preferably made of an opaque plastic material, preferably via an injection moulding process.

[0028] The front half-shell 3, on the other hand, is preferably made of a transparent or semitransparent plastic material, such as for example polycarbonate (PC) or polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), also in this case preferably via an injection moulding process.

[0029] In the example shown, moreover, the front half-shell 3 is preferably provided with a plurality of adjacent transparent or semitransparent sectors (three transparent or semitransparent sectors), each of which is separately backlighted by a corresponding electrically-powered lighting assembly.

[0030] With reference to Figures 3 to 7, at least one of the lighting assemblies of automotive light 1, hereafter denoted with the number 4, furthermore comprises: a reflector body 5 preferably having a substantially concave structure and preferably made of plastic material, which is placed inside the rear body 2 with the mouth spaced and turned towards the corresponding and facing transparent or semitransparent sector 3a of front half-shell 3, and is internally provided with a reflecting surface 5a that faces the transparent or semitransparent sector 3a and is shaped so as to reflect the incident light towards the same transparent or semitransparent sector 3a; and at least one, preferably substantially rectilinear, row of LEDs 6 (acronym for Light Emitting Diode) that are arranged inside the rear body 2 close to the reflector body 5 and direct the light produced towards the reflecting surface 5a of reflector body 5.

[0031] More in detail, the reflector body 5 preferably has a substantially basin-shaped structure, and the row of LEDs 6 is preferably placed substantially at the mouth of the reflector body 5, optionally close to a side edge of the same mouth of reflector body 5.

[0032] The reflecting surface 5a of reflector body 5, in addition, is preferably concave, and is preferably also shaped so as to reflect the incident light towards the facing transparent or semitransparent sector 3a of front half-shell 3, preferably with a prevailing/major component of the light beam substantially parallel to a predetermined reference axis A of lighting assembly 4 that is preferably substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle when the automotive light 1 is correctly mounted/placed on the bodywork of the vehicle.

[0033] In other words, most of the light rays that the reflecting surface 5a of reflector body 5 reflects towards the facing transparent or semitransparent sector 3a of front half-shell 3 are substantially parallel to the reference axis A of lighting assembly 4.

[0034] Preferably, the mouth of reflector body 5 moreover lies on a plane inclined with respect to reference axis A, and the row of LEDs 6 is preferably placed inside the rear body 2, on a side of the empty space/volume delimited at the rear by the reflecting surface 5a of reflector body 5 and at the front of the transparent or semitransparent sector 3a of front half-shell 3.

[0035] In other words, the row of LEDs 6 is arranged inside the rear body 2, on a side of the path that the light reflected by the reflecting surface 5a of reflector body 5 makes to reach the transparent or semitransparent sector 3a of front half-shell 3.

[0036] In addition, the reflecting surface 5a of reflector body 5 preferably has a substantially parabolic transversal profile, and the LEDs 6 are preferably arranged one spaced beside the other substantially at the focus of the parabolic profile.

[0037] Preferably, the LEDs 6 of lighting assembly 4 are moreover arranged spaced one beside the other, on a single plate-like support board 7, which is preferably provided with the electronic supply and control circuit of the diode, and is placed inside the rear body 2, beside the reflector body 5, so that the single LEDs 6 can direct the light produced towards the reflecting surface 5a of reflector body 5.

[0038] In the example shown, in particular, the reflector body 5 is preferably made up of a concave half-shell which is shaped substantially like an oblong basin, and is preferably made of an opaque plastic material, preferably via an injection moulding process. Preferably, the inner surface of the substantially oblong basin-shaped half-shell moreover has a reflective metallic finishing so as to form the reflecting surface 5a of reflector body 5.

[0039] The support board 7, on the other hand, is preferably arranged beside the reflector body 5, substantially parallel to the reference axis A of optical assembly 4 and/or substantially skimming over the mouth of the reflector body 5. Preferably, support board 7 is moreover arranged to rest on a protruding shelf 8 that extends cantilevered from the edge of reflector body 5, preferably towards the bottom of the rear body 2.

[0040] With reference to Figures 2 to 7, in addition, the LEDs 6 are oriented so as to direct the prevailing/major part of the emitted light directly towards the reflecting surface 5a of reflector body 5.

[0041] The lighting assembly 4, in turn, moreover comprises at least one photoconductive-material light-guide plate 10, preferably made of transparent plastic material, which is placed inside the rear body 2, beside the reflector body 5, with its rear sidewall 10b next to/beside the row of LEDs 6, so as to be illuminated by a minor part of the light emitted by the LEDs 6. The light-guide plate 10, moreover, extends towards the front half-shell 3 so as to arrange its front sidewall 10a close to the front half-shell 3, preferably while remaining at least for a portion substantially parallel to the reference axis A of lighting assembly 4.

[0042] More in detail, the rear sidewall 10b of light-guide plate 10 is arranged spaced beside the row of LEDs 6, so that a minor percentage/part of the light emitted by the LEDs 6 can enter into the light-guide plate 10 through the rear sidewall 10b, and then can travel inside the body of light-guide plate 10 by total internal reflection, up to the front sidewall 10a of light-guide plate 10.

[0043] Clearly, once the front sidewall 10a of light-guide plate 10 has been reached, the light emitted by the LEDs 6 comes out from the light-guide plate 10 directed towards the front half-shell 3.

[0044] More in detail, each LED 6 conventionally emits at least 50% of the light energy produced within a maximum emission cone of given width, which has an opening angle α preferably lower than 90° and usually ranging between 5° and 60°.

[0045] The maximum emission cone of the various LEDs 6 is directed/oriented towards the reflecting surface 5a of reflector body 5.

[0046] The rear sidewall 10b of light-guide plate 10, on the other hand, is arranged close to the row of LEDs 6, so as to receive substantially only the light rays r that are external to the maximum emission cone of the LEDs 6.

[0047] In other words, the minor part of the light emitted by the LEDs 6 is substantially external to the maximum emission cone of the various LEDs 6.

[0048] The rear sidewall 10b of the light-guide plate 10 is therefore reached only by the light rays r that come out from the LED 6 with a high inclination angle with respect to the optical axis B of the LED.

[0049] More in detail, the LEDs 6 of lighting assembly 4 are preferably arranged close to the reflector body 5 with their optical axis B substantially perpendicular to the reference axis A and/or locally substantially perpendicular to the lying plane of the rear sidewall 10b of light-guide plate 10.

[0050] The rear sidewall 10b of light-guide plate 10, in turn, is preferably arranged beside the row of LEDs 6, so as to be reached solely by the light rays r that have an angle of inclination with respect to the LED optical axis B greater than 90% of the half of the opening angle α of the maximum emission cone of the LED.

[0051] Preferably, the light-guide plate 10 is moreover substantially L-bent so as to also extend at least partially into the empty space/volume delimited at the rear by the reflecting surface 5a of reflector body 5 and at the front by the transparent or semitransparent sector 3a of the front half-shell 3.

[0052] In addition, the light-guide plate 10 is preferably dimensioned so as to arrange its front sidewall 10a locally substantially skimmed over the inner surface of front half-shell 3, preferably though not necessarily within the perimeter of the transparent or semitransparent sector 3a.

[0053] With particular reference to Figures 4 to 9, in addition, the rear sidewall 10b of light-guide plate 10 has a serrated profile which includes a series of small protruding teeth 11 with a complex three-dimensional shape, which are adapted to spread the light of the LEDs 6 inside the body of the light-guide plate 10; and the LEDs 6 of lighting assembly 4 are distributed beside the rear sidewall 10b of light-guide plate 10 so that each LED 6 can illuminate a plurality of consecutive protruding teeth 11.

[0054] More in detail, the protruding teeth 11 are preferably structured to deviate and spread the incident light rays r inside the body of light-guide plate 10, so that intensity of the light beam exiting from the front sidewall 10a of light-guide plate 10 has a substantially constant intensity over the whole extension of the front sidewall 10a.

[0055] Preferably, the protruding teeth 11 are moreover shaped so as to direct and spread, inside the light-guide plate 10, the light rays r entering into the light-guide plate 10, so that the light beam exiting from the front sidewall 10a of light-guide plate 10 has a prevailing/major component of the light rays parallel to a preferably substantially horizontal, given direction d.

[0056] In other words, most of the light rays r forming the light beam that exits from the front sidewall 10a of light-guide plate 10, is preferably substantially parallel to the direction d.

[0057] Preferably the direction d is inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to the reference axis A of the lighting assembly 4.

[0058] Clearly, the direction d can also be substantially parallel to the reference axis A of the lighting assembly 4.

[0059] With reference to Figures 5 to 9, in particular, each protruding tooth 11 of light-guide plate 10 has a substantially wedge-shaped polyhedral structure, which is adapted to refract and then reflect, by total internal reflection, at least a part of the light rays r entering into the protruding tooth 11, while the same light rays r are still inside the body of the tooth.

[0060] In other words, each protruding tooth 11 with a substantially wedge-shaped polyhedral structure has an upper prismatic portion which is substantially polyhedral in shape and is directly facing the LEDs 6, and a lower prismatic portion which is substantially polyhedral in shape and is complementary and opposite to the upper prismatic portion.

[0061] The upper prismatic portion of the protruding tooth 11 is shaped so as to divert/refract, towards the lower prismatic portion, at least a part and more conveniently whole of the light rays r entering into the protruding tooth 11.

[0062] The lower prismatic portion of protruding tooth 11, on the other hand, is shaped so as to reflect, by total internal reflection and towards the inside of the light-guide plate 10, the light rays r coming from the upper prismatic portion of the same protruding tooth 11.

[0063] More in detail, the upper prismatic portion of protruding tooth 11 has a major flat face or surface 11a and a minor flat face or surface 11b, preferably both substantially parallelogram-shaped, of which one is contiguous and inclined with respect to the other and both are inclined with respect to the adjacent and bordering upper face of the light-guide plate 10.

[0064] Preferably, the major flat face or surface 11a moreover has an extension greater than the minor flat face or surface 11b.

[0065] Similarly, the lower prismatic portion of protruding tooth 11 has a major flat face or surface 11c and a minor flat face or surface 11d, both preferably substantially parallelogram-shaped, of which one is contiguous and inclined with respect to the other and both are inclined with respect to the adjacent and bordering lower face of the light-guide plate 10.

[0066] Preferably, the major flat face or surface 11c moreover has an extension greater than the minor flat face or surface 11d.

[0067] In addition, the major flat face or surface 11c of protruding tooth 11 is aligned and inclined with respect to the overlying major flat face or surface 11a. Similarly, the minor flat face or surface 11d of protruding tooth 11 is simultaneously aligned and inclined with respect to the overlying minor flat face or surface 11b of protruding tooth 11.

[0068] The major flat face or surface 11a and, preferably though not necessarily, also the minor flat face or surface 11b of protruding tooth 11 is/are adapted to divert/refract the incident light rays r towards the underlying lower prismatic portion of protruding tooth 11, i.e. towards the major flat face or surface 11c and/or towards the minor flat face or surface 11d.

[0069] The major flat face or surface 11c and, preferably, also the minor flat face or surface 11d of protruding tooth 11, on the other hand, is/are adapted to divert/reflect, by total internal reflection and towards the inside of the light-guide plate 10, the light rays r coming from the upper prismatic portion of protruding tooth 11 preferably while spreading them in a predefined manner inside the light-guide plate 10.

[0070] More in detail, the major flat face or surface 11c and preferably also the minor flat face or surface 11d of the various protruding teeth 11 of light-guide plate 10, are adapted to direct the light rays r coming from the upper prismatic portion of protruding teeth 11 towards the inside of the light-guide plate 10, preferably while also spreading the light rays r inside the body of light-guide plate 10 so that the intensity of the light beam exiting from the front sidewall 10a of light-guide plate 10 has a substantially constant intensity over the whole extension of the front sidewall 10a.

[0071] Preferably, the major flat faces or surfaces 11c of the various protruding teeth 11 of light-guide plate 10 are moreover oriented so that the light beam exiting from the front sidewall 10a of light-guide plate 10 has a prevailing /major component substantially parallel to direction d.

[0072] On the other hand, some minor flat faces or surfaces 11d of the protruding teeth 11 of light-guide plate 10 are preferably, though not necessarily, oriented so as to direct the incident light rays r towards the lateral sidewall of the light-guide plate 10, so that a part of the light emitted by LEDs 6 exits from the lateral sidewall of light-guide plate 10 in a direction preferably substantially perpendicular to reference axis A.

[0073] In this way the light 1 is able to emit even a small light beam in a direction substantially perpendicular to the reference axis A, thus also producing the side-marker light signal.

[0074] In other words, the major flat faces or surfaces 11c and the minor flat faces or surfaces 11d of some protruding teeth 11 of light-guide plate 10 are preferably adapted to divert the light inside the body of light-guide plate 10 in two different and distinct directions, preferably orthogonal to each other.

[0075] Finally, the light-guide plate 10 preferably has a monolithic structure, and is preferably made of polycarbonate (PC), of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) or of another transparent plastic material, preferably via an injection moulding process.

[0076] With reference to Figure 1, the automotive light 1 is preferably additionally provided with a covering mask 13 made of opaque material, which is placed inside the rear body 2, immediately underneath the front half-shell 3, and is structured so as to cover/hide from view some parts of the lighting assembly(ies) of the automotive light.

[0077] General operation of automotive light 1 is easy inferable from what written above, and therefore does not require further explanation.

[0078] As regards the lighting assembly 4, with reference to Figure 4, the light rays r₀ coming out from the LEDs 6 with a reduced angle of inclination with respect to the LED optical axis B, reach the reflecting surface 5a of reflector body 5 and are reflected towards the facing transparent or semitransparent sector 3a of front half-shell 3, preferably with a prevailing/major component of the light beam substantially parallel to the reference axis A of the lighting assembly 4.

[0079] On the other hand, the light rays r that come out from the LEDs 6 with a high angle of inclination with respect to the LED optical axis B, reach the upper prismatic portions of the various protruding teeth 11 of light-guide plate 10 and enter into the single protruding teeth 11.

[0080] The major flat face or surface 11a of each protruding tooth 11 with a substantially wedge-shaped polyhedral structure and preferably, though not necessarily, also the adjacent minor flat face or surface 11b, are oriented so as to divert/refract the incident light rays r towards the underlying lower prismatic portion of the protruding tooth 11, i.e. towards the major flat face or surface 11c and/or towards the minor flat face or surface 11d, with a direction so that the angle of incidence on the major flat face or surface 11c or, possibly, on the minor flat face or surface 11d of protruding tooth 11, is always greater than the limit angle. In this way, the light rays r are reflected by the major flat face or surface 11c or by the minor flat face or surface 11d of protruding tooth 11 towards the inside of the light-guide plate 10 without leaks.

[0081] Preferably, the major flat faces or surfaces 11c and optionally also the minor flat faces or surfaces 11d of the various protruding teeth 11 are, moreover, altogether oriented so that the intensity of the light beam exiting from the front sidewall 10a of light-guide plate 10 has a substantially constant intensity over the whole extension of the same front sidewall 10a.

[0082] In addition, the major flat faces or surfaces 11c and optionally also the minor flat faces or surfaces 11d of the various protruding teeth 11 are preferably oriented so that a prevailing/major component of the light beam exiting from the front sidewall 10a of light-guide plate 10 is substantially parallel to direction d and, therefore, to the reference axis A of lighting assembly 4.

[0083] The advantages connected to the particular structure of the light-guide plate 10 of lighting assembly 4 are numerous.

[0084] Firstly, despite using a single row of LEDs 6 with the economic advantages that this entails, the lighting assembly 4 is able to produce and direct, towards the front half-shell 3, and more specifically towards the facing transparent or semitransparent sector 3a of front half-shell 3, a first light beam with a prevailing/major component substantially parallel to the reference axis A of lighting assembly 4, and a second light beam with a prevailing/major component substantially parallel to a given direction d that may be parallel or inclined to the reference axis A of lighting assembly 4.

[0085] In addition, the wedge-shaped polyhedral structure of the protruding teeth 11 allows to the light rays r coming from the LEDs 6 to be distributed more precisely inside the light-guide plate 10, so that the intensity of the light beam exiting from the front sidewall 10a of light-guide plate 10 has a nearly constant intensity over the whole extension of front sidewall 10a, with the aesthetic advantages that this entails.

[0086] It is finally clear that modifications and variations may be made to the automotive light 1 and/or to the lighting assembly 4 described above without however departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0087] For example, the protruding teeth 11 of light-guide plate 10 may be subdivided into two or more groups.

[0088] The first group of protruding teeth 11 may have the lower prismatic portions, or rather the flat faces or surfaces 11c and 11d, oriented so as to direct and spread the light rays r entering into the light-guide plate 10 so that a corresponding first light beam exiting from the front sidewall 10a of light-guide plate 10 has a prevailing/major component of the light rays parallel to the direction d.

[0089] The second or further group of protruding teeth 11, on the other hand, may have the lower prismatic portions, or rather the flat faces or surfaces 11c and 11d, oriented so as to direct and spread the light rays r entering into the light-guide plate 10, so that a corresponding second/further light beam exiting from the front sidewall 10a of light-guide plate 10 has a prevailing/major component of the light rays parallel to a second/further predetermined direction, which is inclined with respect to direction d and/or to the reference axis A of lighting assembly 4.

Claims

1. An automotive light (1) comprising: a substantially basin-shaped rear body (2); a front half-shell (3) which is arranged to close the mouth of the rear body (2) and is provided with at least a transparent or semitransparent sector (3a); at least a first lighting assembly (4) that emits light on command and is located inside the rear body (2) in order to backlight said transparent or semitransparent sector (3a) of the front half-shell (3);
the lighting assembly (4) comprising: a reflector body (5) which is located inside the rear body (2) and is internally provided with a reflecting surface (5a) shaped so as to reflect the incident light towards said transparent or semitransparent sector (3a) of the front half-shell (3); and at least one row of LEDs (6) that are arranged inside the rear body (2) close to the reflector body (5), and direct the light produced towards the reflecting surface (5a) of said reflector body (5);
the automotive light (1) being characterized in that said LEDs (6) are oriented so as to direct a prevailing/major part of the light produced directly towards the reflecting surface (5a) of the reflector body (5); and in that said lighting assembly (4) additionally comprises at least one light-guide plate (10) made of photoconductive material, which is arranged inside the rear body (2), beside the reflector body (5), with its rear sidewall (10b) on a side of the row of LEDs (6) so as to be illuminated by a minor part of the light emitted by said LEDs (6).

2. Automotive light according to Claim 1, wherein the rear sidewall (10b) of the light-guide plate (10) has a serrated profile that includes a series of small protruding teeth (11) adapted to distribute the light inside the light-guide plate (10); and wherein the LEDs (6) of the lighting assembly (4) are distributed beside the rear sidewall (10b) of the light-guide plate (10) so that each LED (6) can illuminate a plurality of said protruding teeth (11).

3. Automotive light according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the reflector body (5) has a substantially concave structure and the LEDs (6) are placed substantially at the mouth of said reflector body (5).

4. Automotive light according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the LEDs (6) are aligned to form a substantially rectilinear row.

5. Automotive light according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each protruding tooth (11) has a substantially polyhedral wedge-shaped structure that is adapted to refract and then reflect at least a part of the light rays (r) entering into the protruding tooth (11), while the same light rays (r) are still inside the body of the tooth.

6. Automotive light according to Claim 5, wherein each protruding tooth (11) has an upper prismatic portion which is a substantially polyhedral in shape and is directly facing the LEDs (6), and a lower prismatic portion which is substantially polyhedral in shape and is complementary and opposite to said upper prismatic portion; said upper prismatic portion being shaped so as to divert/refract, towards the lower prismatic portion, at least part of the light rays (r) entering into the protruding tooth (11); the lower prismatic portion being shaped so as to reflect, by total internal reflection and towards the inside of the light-guide plate (10), the light rays (r) coming from said upper prismatic portion.

7. Automotive light according to Claim 6, wherein the upper prismatic portion of the protruding tooth (11) has a first major flat face or surface (11a) and a first minor flat face or surface (11b), which are contiguous and inclined to one another and are both inclined with respect to the adjacent and bordering upper face of the light-guide plate (10) .

8. Automotive light according to Claim 7, wherein said first major flat face or surface (11a) and said first minor flat face or surface (11b) are substantially parallelogram-shaped.

9. Automotive light according to Claim 7 or 8, wherein the lower prismatic portion of the protruding tooth (11) has a second major flat face or surface (11c) and a second minor flat face or surface (11d), which are contiguous and inclined to one another and are both inclined with respect to the adjacent and bordering lower face of the light-guide plate (10); said second major flat face or surface (11c) of the protruding tooth (11) being aligned and inclined with respect to the overlying first major flat face or surface (11a) of the protruding tooth (11); said second minor flat face or surface (11d) of the protruding tooth (11) being aligned and inclined with respect to the overlying first minor flat face or surface (11b) of the protruding tooth (11).

10. Automotive light according to Claim 9, wherein said second major flat face or surface (11c) and said second minor flat face or surface (11d) are substantially parallelogram-shaped.

11. Automotive light according to any one of Claims 7 to 10, wherein at least said first major flat face or surface (11a) of the protruding tooth (11) is adapted to divert/ refract the incident light rays (r) towards the underlying prismatic portion of the protruding tooth (11).

12. Automotive light according to Claim 9, 10 or 11, wherein at least said second major flat face or surface (11c) of the protruding tooth (11) is adapted to reflect, towards the inside of the light-guide plate (10), the light rays (r) coming from said upper prismatic portion of the protruding tooth (11).

13. Automotive light according to Claim 12, wherein said second major flat face or surface (11c) and said second minor flat face or surface (11d) are adapted to deviate the light inside the body of the light-guide plate 10 in two directions different and distinct to one another.

14. Automotive light according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each LED (6) emits at least 50% of the light energy produced within a maximum emission cone of given width, and said maximum emission cone is turned/oriented towards the reflecting surface (5a) of the reflector body (5); the minor part of the light emitted by said LEDs (6) being external to said maximum emission cone.

15. Automotive light according to Claim 14, wherein the maximum emission cone of the LED (6) has an opening angle (α) lower than 90°.

16. Automotive light according to Claim 14 or 15, wherein the rear sidewall (10b) of the light-guide plate (10) is arranged close to the row of LEDs (6), so as to receive substantially only the light rays (r) external to said maximum emission cone of the LEDs (6).

17. Automotive light according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reflecting surface (5a) of the reflector body (5) is substantially concave.

18. Automotive light according to Claim 17, wherein the reflecting surface (5a) of the reflector body (5) is shaped so as to reflect the incident light towards the facing transparent or semitransparent sector (3a) of the front half-shell (3), with a prevailing/major component of the light beam substantially parallel to a reference axis of the lighting assembly (A), which axis is arranged substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle when the automotive light (1) is mounted/placed on the vehicle.

19. Automotive light according to Claim 18, wherein the light-guide plate (10) extends towards the front half-shell (3) while remaining at least for a portion substantially parallel to said reference axis of the lighting assembly (A) .

20. Automotive light according to claim 19, wherein the light-guide plate (10) is substantially L-bent so as to also extend at least partially into the empty space/volume delimited at the rear by the reflecting surface (5a) of the reflector body (5) and at the front by said transparent or semitransparent sector (3a) of the front half-shell (3).

Drawing