Light module for a lighting apparatus of a vehicle

#This nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to German Patent Application No. 10 2016 113 937.8, which was filed in Germany on Jul. 28, 2016, and which is herein incorporated by reference.

#The invention relates to a light module for a lighting apparatus of a vehicle having a reflector body, further including a light generating unit having at least one light source, wherein a carrier is provided on which the light generating unit is arranged, and wherein the light generating unit is replaceably arranged on the light module.

#US 2015/0266407 A1 discloses a light module for a lighting apparatus of a vehicle having a reflector body, and a light generating unit is arranged on a carrier, wherein the carrier can be arranged in a precise position aligned on the reflector body. The light source arranged on the light generating unit radiates into the reflector, wherein a precise position of the light source relative to the reflector body can be maintained only with increased effort. For example, it is necessary to align the light generating unit relative to the carrier, and lastly the carrier must be aligned precisely on the reflector body so that the light source assumes the required position relative to the reflector body.

#The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a light module for a lighting apparatus of a vehicle having a reflector body and having a carrier on which a light generating unit is arranged, wherein the carrier with the light generating unit has been removed from the reflector body,

#FIG. 2 is the light module from FIG. 1, wherein the carrier with the light generating unit is located on the reflector body, and

#FIG. 1 shows, in a perspective view, a light module 1 for a lighting apparatus of a vehicle having a reflector body 10, further including a light generating unit 11 with a light source 12, and a carrier 13 is provided on which the light generating unit 11 is arranged, and the spaced-apart arrangement of the carrier 13 with the light generating unit 11 makes it clear that the light generating unit 11 is replaceably arranged on the light module 1. The reflector body 10 constitutes a sort of base body here and has a receiving section 23, on which the light generating unit 11 with the carrier 13 can be accommodated. The receiving section 23 projects beyond a reflector surface 24 of the reflector body 10, and when the light generating unit 11 is accommodated on the receiving section 23, the light source 12 positions itself in a receiving opening 18 in the receiving section 23. When the light source 12 is activated, light can radiate into the reflector surface 24.

#According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the reflector body 10 has reference surfaces 14a and 14b facing toward the light generating unit 11, and the light generating unit 11 has locating surfaces 15a and 15b facing the reference surfaces 14a, 14b. If the light generating unit 11 is arranged on the reflector body 10, then the locating surfaces 15a, 15b come to rest against the reference surfaces 14a, 14b, so that a precisely positioned arrangement of the light generating unit 11 on the reflector body 10 is created. As a logical consequence, a precise positioning of the light source 12 relative to the reflector surface 24 of the reflector body 10 also occurs.

#The carrier 13 can be designed such that it also serves as a heat sink, and the carrier 13 can be braced on the reflector body 10 by an appropriate retainer. The position of the light generating unit 11 relative to the reflector body 10 is not referenced by means of the carrier 13, however, since the carrier provides merely a retaining function for accommodating the light generating unit 11, which retaining function is augmented, at most, by a cooling function. Because the carrier 13 is not part of the positioning arrangement of the light generating unit 11 on the reflector body 10, however, the direct contact of the locating surfaces 15a, 15b on the reference surfaces 14a, 14b produces an optimal alignment of the light generating unit 11 on the reflector body 10, without manufacturing and dimensional tolerances of the carrier 13 having an effect on the positioning of the light generating unit 11 on the reflector body 10.