LIGHTING DEVICE FOR A SUN ROOF OF A VEHICLE AND SUN ROOF FOR A VEHICLE

A lighting device for a sun roof of a vehicle and a sun roof for a vehicle are provided.

One object of the present invention is to provide a lighting device for a sun roof of a vehicle, such that the sun roof can be used for lighting purposes. According to a further aspect of the present invention a sun roof with such a lighting device should be provided. A lighting device for a sun roof is given by present claim 1. A sun roof for a vehicle is further given by present claim 7.

Advantageous embodiments and developments of the lighting device and the sun roof are subject of the dependent claims.

A lighting device for a sun roof of a vehicle comprises in particular :

- a light guide with at least one light input surface, and

- a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged such that the light of the light emitting diodes is coupled in the light guide via the light input surface.

The light guide is preferably intended to form a window of the sun roof, in order to transmit light from the exterior of the vehicle into the interior. Since the lighting device is further equipped with a plurality of light emitting diodes, the lighting device preferably has the function of an

illumination device for the interior of the vehicle. Preferably, a main surface of the light guide forms a light throughput surface of the lighting device. According to an embodiment of the lighting device, the light input surface is represented by a side face of the light guide. Preferably, the side faces of the light guide are arranged substantially perpendicular to the light throughput surface .

According to an embodiment of the lighting device, the light throughput surface of the light guide has a rectangular shape and two side faces of the light guide are intended as light input surfaces. Each light input surface is provided with a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged such that their light is coupled in the light guide via the light input surface. The light is than distributed within the light guide an irradiated from the light throughput surface of the light guide on a preferably nearly homogeneous manner.

According to a further embodiment of the lighting device, the plurality of light emitting diodes is mounted on a printed circuit board. If more than one light input surface is provided by the light guide, each plurality of light emitting diodes corresponding to one light input surface is preferably mounted on a separate printed circuit board.

Preferably, the light emitting diodes emit white light during operation .

According to an embodiment of the lighting device, the light emitting diodes are arranged in an equally spaced manner. For example, it is possible that each plurality of light emitting diodes corresponding to one light input surface of the light guide is arranged for example on a printed circuit board in an equally spaced manner. According to a further embodiment of the lighting device, the light guide is a plastic board permeable for visible light. Further, the light guide can be formed of a glass.

Preferably, the light guide is transparent for visible light. The lighting device is particularly suited for a sun roof for a vehicle.

According to an embodiment of the sun roof, it comprises a movable cover. Preferably, the movable cover is arranged such that in a closed state of the cover the light throughput surface of the lighting device is covered, while in an open state of the cover, the light throughput surface is at least partially free of the cover. In the open state of the cover, light from the exterior can get into the interior of the vehicle through the light guide of the lighting device.

The cover, for example, can be slided in a lateral direction with respect to the light throughput surface in order to open the cover.

According to a further embodiment of the sun roof, the lighting device or a part of the lighting device, such as the light guide is movable such that in an open state of the sun roof, the interior of the vehicle is open to the exterior.

The lighting device or the movable part of the lighting device, such as the light guide, can be intended to be slided in a lateral direction or can be intended to be lifted in a vertical direction in order to open the sun roof. Further, the lighting device or the movable part of the lighting device might be tilted with respect to the roof of the vehicle in order to open the sun roof.

According to a further embodiment of the sun roof, the light emitting diodes of the lighting device can be turned on, for example by the help of a separate switch, such that the inside of the vehicle is illuminated.

According to a further embodiment of the sun roof, the light emitting diodes are intended to be electrically connected to the battery of the car, for example by the help of squeezable contacts .

Further preferred embodiments and developments of the

invention are described in the following in connection with the Figures. Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a lighting device according to an embodiment.

Figure 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a sun roof according to an embodiment.

Figure 3 shows a schematic top view on a vehicle with a sun roof according to an embodiment.

Equal or similar elements as well as elements of equal function are designated with the same reference signs in the figures. The figures and the proportions of the elements shown in the figures are not regarded as being shown to scale. Rather, single elements, in particular layers, can be shown exaggerated in magnitude for the sake of better

representation .

The lighting device 1 according to the embodiment of Figure 1 comprises a light guide 2 with a main surface 3. The main surface 3 of the light guide 2 forms the light throughput surface of the lighting device 1. The main surface 3 of the light guide has a rectangular shape. The light guide 2 has further four side faces 4, wherein each side face 4 is intended to be a light input surface.

According to the embodiment of Figure 1, the light guide 2 is formed by a plastic board, which is transparent for visible light .

Parallel to each light input surface 4 a plurality of light emitting diodes 5 is arranged. Each plurality of light emitting diodes 5 corresponding to a light input surface 4 is mounted on a separate printed circuit board 6. Preferably, the light emitting diodes 5 are mounted in an equally spaced manner on the printed circuit board 6.

In Figure 1, the light emitting diodes 5 are depicted in a certain distance to the light input surface 4 in order to ensure a better understanding of the figure. However, in reality, the light emitting diodes 5 are preferably as near as possible mounted to the light input surfaces 4, in order to avoid loss of light. Preferably, the light emitting diodes 5 emit white light during operation. The sun roof 7 according to the embodiment of Figure 2 comprises a lighting device 1 as for example already

explained in further detail in connection with Figure 1. The sun roof comprises a cover 8, which is moveable in order to provide an open state and a closed state of the cover 8. According to the embodiment of Figure 2, the cover 8 can be slided in a direction parallel to the main surface 3 of the light guide.

In a closed state of the cover 8, the cover 8 blankets in particular the light throughput surface 3 of the light guide 2. In an open state of the sun roof 7, the cover 8 is arranged such that light from the exterior can shines through the light guide 2.

Furthermore, at least a part of the lighting device 1, preferably the light guide 2, is movable in order to provide an open state of the sun roof 7.

For example, the light guide 2 can be slighted in a laterally direction with respect to its light throughput surface 3 or lifted in a vertical direction with respect to its light throughput surface 3 or tilted in an angle with respect to its light throughput surface 3. Preferably, the cover 8 is in an open state, if the light guide 2 is moved.

Figure 3 shows exemplarily a sun roof 7 as for example described in connection with Figure 2 in further detail, the sun roof being positioned in the roof of a passenger car.

The light emitting diodes 5 of the sun roof 7 are for example electrically connected to the battery of the car. Furthermore, preferably a switch (not shown) is provided in order to turn the light emitting diodes 5 on.

This application claims priority of the Chinese application CN 201110036044.6. The content of this application is herein incorporated by references in its entirety.

The invention is not limited to the description of the embodiments. Rather, the invention comprises each new feature as well as each combination of features, particularly each combination of features of the claims, even if the feature or the combination of features itself is not explicitly given in the claims or embodiments.