Optical device, in particular for an automotive vehicle, such as a lighting or signalling device
AssigneeValeo Vision
InventorAntoine de Lamberterie
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical device, in particular for an automotive vehicle, such as a lighting or signaling device, comprising at least one light source, and at least one light guide designed to guide at least some of the light emitted by the light source, the light guide comprising at least one output face and at least one reflection face designed to reflect, towards the output face, light being propagated in the guide, wherein the light guide exhibits a cylindrical sheet form and/or the output face is not completely planar.
Claims17
An optical device for an automotive vehicle, such as a lighting or signaling device, comprising:
- at least one light source;
- and
- at least one light guide designed to guide at least some of the light emitted by said at least one light source, said at least one light guide comprising at least one output face and at least one reflection face designed to reflect, towards said at least one output face, light being propagated in said at least one light guide;
- wherein said at least one light guide exhibits a cylindrical sheet form having a longitudinal axis;
- wherein said sheet is non-planar and cylindrical about said longitudinal axis and has two principal faces that are substantially parallel to each other;
- wherein light emitting from said at least one output face is directed substantially parallel to an optical axis of said optical device;
- wherein said at least one reflection face of said at least one light guide is included in a ruled surface described by straight lines perpendicular to a longitudinal axis (X) of the cylindrical sheet.
A process for manufacturing a light guide, said light guide being designed to guide at least some of the light emitted by a light source, said light guide comprising at least one output face and at least one reflection face designed to reflect, towards said at least one output face, light being propagated in said light guide, said light guide exhibiting an optical axis and said at least one output face exhibiting a predetermined shape, the process comprising the following steps of:
- a) obtaining a geometrical cylindrical sheet contour parallel to each other by extruding said at least one output face of said optical axis;
- b) carrying out a geometrical operation so as to unfold said cylindrical sheet contour and making it planar;
- c) obtaining, for this geometrical unfolded sheet contour, a reflection face shape;
- d) obtaining a cylindrical sheet form having a longitudinal axis according to said reflection face shape;
- and
- e) manufacturing by molding a plastic material, said light guide with said cylindrical sheet form obtained;
- wherein said sheet is non planar and cyindrical about said longitudinal axis and has two al faces that are substantial) parallel to each other;
- wherein light emitting from said at least one output face is directed substantially parallel to said optical axis of said light guide;
- wherein said at least one reflection face of said at least one light guide is included in a ruled surface described by straight lines perpendicular to a longitudinal axis (X) of the clindrical sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.