AUTOMOTIVE LIGHTING DEVICE

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention is related to the field of lighting devices comprised in automotive lighting devices, and more particularly, with their heat sink arrangement.

STATE OF THE ART

Current lighting devices require a good heat dissipation, since the light sources used therein are very powerful but very sensitive to their working temperature.

Metallic heat sinks are used to dissipate the heat produced in the light sources. However, the thermal design is important, since just placing a heat sink is not enough. The heat must find a way to be dissipated, and a proper exchange surface must be provided.

Further, the light sources may be placed in different positions. When two or more lighting functionalities are required in a lighting device, the different lighting functionalities may be arranged in different relative positions with respect to each other.

One option is placing all the lighting functionalities in the same plane, emitting light according to the same direction. This is easy for manufacturing, since a plane metallic heat sink may be provided to fulfill the dissipation requirements of the lighting sources involved.

However, in different applications, different functionalities may be provided in different planes, which are not parallel. Further, these may be offset, so that the distance between the planes and the orientation may not be chosen, since they are fixed by light design parameters.

When trying to provide a heat sink for different functionalities which are located in different planes, the resulting metallic plate may be difficult to be manufactured, due to the acute angles that result when the single plate tries to meet the two functionalities.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides an alternative solution for providing a heat sink to two different functionalities by an automotive lighting device according to claim 1 and a method for manufacturing an automotive lighting device according to claim 9. Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in dependent claims. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein are to be interpreted as is customary in the art. It will be further understood that terms in common usage should also be interpreted as is customary in the relevant art and not in an idealised or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

In this text, the term“comprises” and its derivations (such as“comprising”, etc.) should not be understood in an excluding sense, that is, these terms should not be interpreted as excluding the possibility that what is described and defined may include further elements, steps, etc.

In a first inventive aspect, the invention provides an automotive lighting device comprising a first light element for a first lighting functionality and a second light element for a second lighting functionality, the first light element being arranged to provide a light beam in a first light direction and the second light element being arranged to provide a light beam in a second light direction which forms at least 20 degrees with respect to the first light direction; a heat sink comprising a first plane portion and a second plane portion, wherein the first light element is arranged in direct contact with the first plane portion and the second light element is arranged in direct contact with the second plane portion,

wherein the second plane portion is contained in a second plane which cuts the first plane portion in such a way that the second plane and the portion of the first plane portion which is in direct contact with the first light element form an acute angle;

wherein a protruding portion of the first plane portion and/or a protruding portion of the second plane portion protrudes from the heat sink in such a way that the heat sink comprises connecting arms in direct contact with the first plane portion and with the second plane portion, wherein each one of the connecting arms define a curve and the difference between a first tangent line which is tangent to the curve in any first point and a second tangent line which is tangent to the curve in any second point is lower than 90 degrees.

The heat sink is a continuous piece which has a cut, so that, when the heat sink is bent, part of the heat sink is not bent and therefore protrudes from the continuous profile. This portion which protrudes is used as a heat dissipation surface for the first light element. In other embodiments, this portion is used for the second light element, or in further embodiments, there are more than one protruding portion, one for each light element.

The shape of the heat sink is such that the plane portions which are used as heat dissipation surfaces for each light element cut in a line which defines two semiplanes: one semiplane containing the first light element and other semiplane which contains the second light element. These semiplanes form an acute angle, so it would require the heat sink to be manufactured with an acute angle to fit with a continuous shape both plane portions.

The connecting arms are just part of the heat sink, since the protruding portion stands out from the connecting arms and the connecting arms are connecting the first plane portion with the second plane portion. However, the shape of the connecting arms is more favourable to be manufactured, since the curve defined by the connecting arms has no acute angles, and the tangent varies in a soft way, always with a variation lower than 90 degrees between two different points of the connecting arms. Even in some embodiments, this variation is lower than 60 degrees.

As a consequence, a heat sink is provided for two different light functionalities which are placed in converging planes.

According to the invention, the heatsink can be for example a heat sink plate. This eases the manufacturability of the heatsink of the invention.

In some particular embodiments, the light element is a solid-state light source which is directly mounted on the heat sink. In other particular embodiments, the light element is a printed circuit board which contains solid-state light sources.

These options refer to the different ways the functionalities may be mounted on the heat sink, either by a direct submount or by means of a printed circuit board.

The term "solid state" refers to light emitted by solid-state electroluminescence, which uses semiconductors to convert electricity into light. Compared to incandescent lighting, solid state lighting creates visible light with reduced heat generation and less energy dissipation. The typically small mass of a solid-state electronic lighting device provides for greater resistance to shock and vibration compared to brittle glass tubes/bulbs and long, thin filament wires. They also eliminate filament evaporation, potentially increasing the life span of the illumination device. Some examples of these types of lighting comprise semiconductor light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLED), or polymer light-emitting diodes (PLED) as sources of illumination rather than electrical filaments, plasma or gas. This automotive lighting device comprises a plurality of solid-state light sources which are in charge of providing different functionalities. As solid-state light sources, the heat dissipation requirements is very important.

In some particular embodiments, the automotive lighting device further comprises additional heat dissipation means in thermal contact with the heat sink.

These additional heat dissipation means contribute with the main heat sink to communicate the heat emitted by the light sources to the ambient air surrounding the lighting device.

In some particular embodiments, the additional heat dissipation means comprise fins and/or pins.

Fins and pins are heat dissipation elements which advantageously cooperate with the main heat sink to dissipate the heat emitted by the light sources.

In some particular embodiments, the additional heat dissipation means are clamped to the heat sink.

Since the heat sink requires a forming process so that the protruding portion is made to protrude from the rest of the heat sink, the additional heat dissipation means may be added in a further step, e.g., by clamping or any other suitable operation. Clamping ensures a good connection and may be performed easily after the heat sink forming process.

In some particular embodiments, when the heat sink is a heat sink plate, the heat sink plate comprises a bended portion, which forms the additional heat dissipation means.

A bended portion is a way of providing additional heat dissipation means, which may be easily formed during the forming process of the heat sink.

In some particular embodiments, the automotive lighting device further comprises an optical element intended to receive light from the first and second light source elements, and project the light outside the automotive lighting device, this optical element being, for example, a projecting lens.

In some particular embodiments: the first lighting functionality is a lower beam with a flat horizontal top cut-off functionality and the second lighting functionality is an upper beam with flat horizontal lower cut-off, or

the second lighting functionality is a lower beam with a flat horizontal top cut-off functionality and the first lighting functionality is an upper beam with a flat horizontal lower cut-off functionality, and

wherein these two cut-offs are at the same level when the two functionalities are activated to generate their corresponding beams simultaneously, the two functionalities therefore generating a global lighting beam.

For example, the global lighting beam can be a high beam. In such a case, the lower beam can be a low beam or the large base of a high beam, and the upper beam can be the complementary part that corresponds to the spot and/or to the upper part of the high beam.

The global lighting beam can also be a lighting adaptive front system, in which the upper beam is the complementary part that corresponds to the upper part of the global lighting beam, the corresponding lighting functionality comprising different lighting sub-units that can be activated independently in order to generate different sectors of the upper beam. When all the sectors are simultaneously generated, the global lighting beam forms a high beam. Therefore, this enables to activate only some sectors in order to have a dark shadow in the upper beam. This enables to adapt said global lighting beam, for example to place a dark shadow on an adverse or followed vehicle. The lower beam can be a low beam or the large base of a high beam.

In some particular embodiments, the two lighting functionalities are arranged to be activated independently and not at the same time, and:

- the first lighting functionality is arranged to generate, at least partly, a low beam and the and the second lighting functionality is arranged to generate, at least partly, a high beam, or

- the second lighting functionality is arranged to generate, at least partly, a low beam and the and the first lighting functionality is arranged to generate, at least partly, a high beam.

In a second inventive aspect, the invention provides a method for manufacturing a lighting device according to the first inventive aspect, the method comprising the steps of

providing a heat sink plate

performing at least one cut in the heat sink plate, the cut defining two connecting arms, one connecting arm at each side of a first portion of the heat sink plate; bending the connecting arms so that the first portion is not bended and protrudes from the heat sink plate;

bending the connecting arms again with a second portion of the heat sink plate, so that the second portion forms at least 20 degrees with respect to the first portion

installing a first light source element in the first portion of the heat sink and a second light source element in the second portion of the heat sink.

This method can be used to manufacture the heatsink according to the invention.

With this method, the manufactured lighting device comprises at least two different functionalities which are properly cooled, by two portions of the heat sink. This manufacturing method is easy to reproduce at a not very high cost.

In some particular embodiments, the method further comprises the steps of adding additional heat dissipation means.

These additional heat dissipation means contribute with the main heat sink to communicate the heat emitted by the light sources to the ambient air surrounding the lighting device.

In some particular embodiments, the additional heat dissipation means are added to the heat sink plate by clamping or by fixing.

Clamping and fixing are steps which may be integrated in the manufacturing process of the heat sink plate.

In some particular embodiments, the additional heat dissipation means are added to the heat sink by bending at least one end of the heat sink plate.

A bended portion is a way of providing additional heat dissipation means, which may be easily formed during the forming process of the heat sink.

In some particular embodiments, the heat sink plate is formed by cool stamping, the bending being carried out by stamping.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To complete the description and in order to provide for a better understanding of the invention, a set of drawings is provided. Said drawings form an integral part of the description and illustrate an embodiment of the invention, which should not be interpreted as restricting the scope of the invention, but just as an example of how the invention can be carried out. The drawings comprise the following figures:

Figure 1 shows some elements of an automotive lighting device according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a side view of a heat sink of an embodiment of lighting device according to the invention.

Figure 3 shows a side view of a heat sink of an embodiment of lighting device according to the invention.

Figures 4a and 4b show rear views of heat sinks of different embodiments of lighting device according to the invention.

Figures 5a to 5e show steps of manufacturing of some elements of the automotive lighting device according to the invention.

Figure 6 shows an automotive vehicle with an automotive lighting device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The example embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to embody and implement the systems and processes herein described. It is important to understand that embodiments can be provided in many alternate forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein.

Accordingly, while embodiment can be modified in various ways and take on various alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and described in detail below as examples. There is no intent to limit to the particular forms disclosed. On the contrary, all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims should be included. Elements of the example embodiments are consistently denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings and detailed description where appropriate. Figure 1 shows some elements of an automotive lighting device 1 according to the invention. One of these elements is a main heat sink 2 with a first plane portion 21 and a second plane portion 22.

This lighting device 1 also comprises two printed circuit boards, a first printed circuit board 1 1 comprising LEDs 5 intended to provide a high beam functionality and a second printed circuit board 12 comprising LEDs 5 intended to provide a low beam functionality. The first printed circuit board 1 1 is arranged in direct contact with the first plane portion 21 of the heat sink 2 and the second printed circuit board 12 is arranged in direct contact with the second plane portion 22.

However, in other embodiments, instead of printed circuit boards, there are groups of LEDs directly mounted on the heat sink, each group of LEDs being intended to perform one of the lighting functionalities.

In this figure, it may be seen how a protruding portion 23 of the first plane portion 21 protrudes from the heat sink 2. This protruding portion 23 protrudes to give a heat dissipation support for the first printed circuit board 1 1. The rest of the first plane portion continues in the shape of connecting arms 24 to reach the second plane portion 22, thus providing continuity between the first plane portion 21 and the second plane portion 22.

Figure 2 shows a side view of the heat sink 2 and the elements associated thereto.

As may be seen in this figure, the first printed circuit board 1 1 is arranged to provide a high beam in a first light direction and the second printed circuit board 12 is arranged to provide a low beam in a second light direction which forms 20 degrees with respect to the first light direction. These beams are directed to a projecting lens 4.

The second plane portion 22, which provides support to the second printed circuit board 12, is contained in a second plane 20 which cuts the first plane portion 21 in such a way that the second plane 20 and the portion of the first plane portion 21 which is in direct contact with the first printed circuit board 1 1 form an acute angle. As a consequence, if the two printed circuit boards were met by a heat sink with no protruding portions, the heat sink would have to meet this acute angle, which would lead to manufacturing problems. The protruding portion 23 prevents the heat sink 2 to have this acute angle. The shape of the connecting arms 24 is therefore independent of this acute angle, since the position of the first printed circuit board 1 1 is not met by the connecting arms 24, but by the protruding portion 23. As a consequence, the connecting arms 24 may be manufactured with a soft angle variation, such as the one shown in figure 3. As may be seen, the difference between a first tangent line 25 which is tangent to the curve in any first point and a second tangent line 26 which is tangent to the curve in any second point is lower than 90 degrees. This ensures a smooth manufacturing process with no risk of cracks being formed. Further, since the shape of the connecting arms 24 is independent of the angle formed between the first and second portions, the connecting arms 24 may have an even smoother angle variation, such as for example 60 degrees.

Figures 4a and 4b show rear views of this heat sink 2 with two different options of additional heat dissipation means.

Figure 4a shows a plurality of fins 3 which are attached to the heat sink 2 in order to cooperate with it in the dissipation of the heat emitted by the LEDs of the printed circuit boards. In different embodiments, instead of fins, some pins may be installed, to perform the same function.

Figure 4b shows an extended heat sink 2, wherein the ends 27 thereof are bent to form structures which are similar to fins, thus providing additional heat dissipation means.

Figures 5a to 5e show steps of manufacturing some elements of the automotive lighting device according to the invention

Figure 5a shows the provision of a heat sink plate 102 wherein one cut 103 is performed. As a consequence of this cut, two connecting arms 124 are defined.

Figure 5b represents a bending operation in the connecting arms 124, so that a first protruding portion 123, which resulted from the cut performed in the previous step, is not bended and protrudes from the heat sink plate 102.

Figure 5c shows a second bending operation in the connecting arms 124, to form a second portion 122 of the heat sink plate 102. This second portion 122 forms 20 degrees with respect to the first protruding portion 123. Figure 5d represents the installation of a first printed circuit board 11 in the first protruding portion 123 of the heat sink 102 and a second printed circuit board 12 in the second portion 122 of the heat sink 102. Figure 5e shows a further step of this method, where some fins 3 are clamped to the heat sink 102, to provide further heat dissipation means which collaborate with the heat sink 102 in dissipating the heat that is going to be generated in the first and second printed circuit boards 11 , 12. Figure 6 shows an automotive vehicle 100 which comprises an automotive lighting device 1 as described in any of the previous figures.

The automotive lighting device 1 further comprises a lens 4 which is arranged to receive light from the LEDs of the first and second printed circuit board, and project the light outside the automotive lighting device 1.