WO2024208933A1

WO2024208933A1 - Vehicle lighting unit

Info

Publication number: WO2024208933A1
Application number: PCT/EP2024/059113
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kousikkamaesh ARUNACHALAM-SUBRAMANI; Thierry Michalski; Julien Murat; Prashant SETHUMADHAVAN
Original assignee: Renault S.A.S.; Nissan Motor Co., Ltd
Priority date: 2023-04-04
Filing date: 2024-04-03
Publication date: 2024-10-10

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle lighting unit (200). The lighting unit (200) may include a lighting element and a sensing unit (206) mounted on a housing (312). The sensing unit (206) may be attached to the housing (312) using a sensor holder (314). The sensing unit (206) may be locked in a position so as to maximise the field of view. The lighting unit (200) in which the sensing unit (206) is incorporated decreases the number of locations in which various elements are mounted on the vehicle and the number of mounting elements required for the incorporation of various elements in the vehicle, facilitates installation and reduces the cost of installing the mounting elements, and improves the aesthetic appearance of the vehicle.

Description

VEHICLE LIGHTING UNIT

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a lighting unit for use in vehicles and, in particular, relates to a lighting unit in which sensors are integrated.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Vehicles have various components installed on their exterior surfaces, such as lighting fixtures, sensors, and vision systems. Even lighting fixtures have various forms and functionalities such as headlamp, fog lamp, tail lamp, brake lamp, parking lamp, cornering lamp, and daytime running light (DRL). In several vehicles, most of these lighting fixtures are present. Similarly, various sensors are positioned on the exterior surfaces of vehicles for different purposes, such as proximity sensors for detecting different surrounding objects, and visual sensors for capturing a video of the vehicles’ surroundings. On the exterior surfaces of vehicles, such components are positioned at various parts, including the front bumper, rear bumper, a fender, and exterior mirrors.

There illustrates a front view of a front bumper of a vehicle, in accordance with the prior art. As illustrated in , a pair of front lights 102-1, 102-2 and a pair of fog lights 104-1, 104-2 are positioned on the front bumper. Furthermore, multiple sensors are installed at different locations on the vehicle, for example a first sensor 106-1 is mounted on a right fender, a second sensor 106-2 is mounted on a left fender, and a third sensor 106-3 and a fourth sensor 106-4 are mounted on the front bumper. Likewise, additional sensors may be mounted at other locations, such as a rear bumper and a trunk door. The sensors 106-1 to 106-4 may be any of ultrasonic sensors, cameras, or other sensors.

Such elements are mounted on the vehicle body using various mounting elements. Mounting elements include brackets, clips, retainers, fasteners and clamps. Mounting multiple elements at different locations on a vehicle and using multiple mounting elements increases the complexity of installation, the cost of installation and affects the aesthetic appearance of a vehicle.

Thus, there is a need to provide a simpler and more economical mechanism for incorporating various elements into a vehicle, which addresses the above-mentioned gaps.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

A general object of the present invention is to reduce the number of locations at which different elements are mounted on a vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to reduce the number of mounting elements required for the integration of different elements on a vehicle.

Another objective of the present invention is to reduce the complexity of installing elements in a vehicle.

Yet another object of the present invention is to reduce the cost of installing components in a vehicle.

Yet another object of the present invention is to improve the aesthetic appearance of a vehicle.

Before the present methods, systems and hardware facilitations are described, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the particular systems and methodologies described, as there may be multiple possible embodiments of the present invention that are not expressly illustrated in this disclosure. It is also understood that the terminology used in the description is for the purpose of describing the particular versions or embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention which shall be limited only by the appended claims.

This summary is provided to introduce aspects relating to a lighting unit of a vehicle, and the aspects are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter nor is it intended to be used to determine or limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

The present invention relates to a lighting unit of a vehicle. The lighting unit may include a lighting element mounted on a housing. The lighting unit may also include a detection unit integrated with the housing. The detection unit may be fixed at a position to maximize the field of vision.

In one aspect, the lighting unit may further include a sensor mount for integrating the sensing unit into the housing.

In one aspect, the sensor holder may be a two-piece member. The sensing unit may be clamped between two pieces of the sensor holder.

In one aspect, the sensing unit may be snapped or secured within the housing.

In one aspect, the lighting unit may be selected from a group consisting of a headlight, a fog light, a tail light, a brake light, a parking light, a cornering light, and a daytime running light (DRL).

In one aspect, the housing may include an opening for mounting and removing the sensing unit, and for allowing passage of electrical cables for powering the lighting unit and connecting the sensing unit to power cables.

In one aspect, the sensing unit may be selected from a group consisting of an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor, and a camera.

Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.

The above summary, together with the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, are best understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. For purposes of illustration of the invention, exemplary constructions of the invention are shown in the drawings; however, the invention is not limited to the specific methods and systems disclosed. The above aspects and many advantages of this invention will be more readily appreciated when better understood with reference to the following detailed description, when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure. In the drawings:

there illustrates a front view of a front bumper of a vehicle, in accordance with the prior art;

there illustrates a front view of a lighting unit installed on a front bumper of a vehicle, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

there illustrates an exploded view of a lighting unit in a vehicle, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

there illustrates an exploded view of a sensor holder, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

there illustrates a rear view of a lighting unit of a vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

there illustrates a sectional view of a lighting unit installed in a vehicle, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The detailed description set forth below in connection with the accompanying drawings is intended to be a description of various embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only embodiments in which the present invention may be applied. Each embodiment described in this disclosure is provided only as an example or illustration of the present invention, and should not necessarily be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of ensuring a full understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be applied without such specific details.

The words “comprising,” “having,” “containing,” and “comprising,” and other forms thereof, are intended to have equivalent meanings and are non-limiting in that an item or items following any of those words are not intended to be an exhaustive list of such item or items, or to be limited only to the item or items listed.

Although any systems and methods similar or equivalent to those described herein may be used in applying or testing embodiments of the present invention, the preferred systems and methods are now described.

There illustrates a front view of a lighting unit 200 installed on a front bumper 202 of a vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The lighting unit 200 may include a lighting element covered by a lens 204, for uniform dispersion of light in one or more required directions. The lens 204 may be annular in shape, such that there is a central recess in the lens 204. The lighting unit 200 may be daytime running lights (DRLs) installed on the front bumper of the vehicle. The lighting element may include one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) or compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) for illumination. It is understood that any supporting elements of the lighting element, such as control circuitry and a heat sink, may be provided within or along the lighting unit 200, as required.

The lighting unit 200 may further comprise a detection unit 206. The detection unit 206 may comprise one of a proximity detection unit and a visual detection unit. The proximity detection unit may be one of an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, and a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor. The visual detection unit may be a camera: day and/or night camera. The detection unit 206 may be secured to a position in the lighting unit 200 to maximize the field of view.

There illustrates an exploded view of the lighting unit 200 in a vehicle, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The lighting unit 200 may include a first light guide 302-1, a second light guide 302-2, a light guide holder 304, and the lighting element. In one implementation, the lighting element may be an LED with electrical cables and a printed circuit board (PCB) 306. The PCB 306 may be provided with a heat sink 308 for absorbing heat generated by the lighting element and the PCB 306. The PCB 306 and the heat sink 308 may be held in place with the lighting element via a harness cable 310.

The first light guide 302-1 and the second light guide 302-2 can be inserted into the lens 204. The lens 204 can be mounted on the light guide holder 304. The lens 204 as well as the light guide holder 304 can be mounted on a housing 312. The housing 312 can be fixed on the front bumper 202. The detection unit 206 can be mounted through the recess of the lens 204 on the housing 312 by means of a sensor holder 314. The lens 204 and the sensor holder 314 can be integrated independently of each other on the housing 312. The sensor holder 314 can be snapped or fixed inside the housing 312. Since the sensor holder 314 can be fixed on the housing 312 and not on the lens 204, the risks of water leakage or condensation in the lighting unit 200 can be reduced. For additional removal of water, condensation and heat, the housing 312 can also include a vent 316.

There illustrates an exploded view of the sensor bracket 314, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The sensor bracket 314 may be a two-piece member comprising a first part 402 and a second part 404. The second part 404 may comprise a base plate 406 and a hollow body 408. The base plate 406 may be present on a face opposite the hollow body 408. Fastening pins 410 may engage corresponding holes in the housing 306 by means of screws. The first part 402 may include a hole 412 for inserting the sensing unit 206. The sensing unit 206 may be clamped between the first part 402 and the second part 404 by clipping the first part 402 into the hollow body 408. The sensing unit 206 may be secured to the sensor holder 314 to increase a field of view of the sensing unit 206. The two-piece design of the sensor holder 314 may simplify the casting process and may also help reduce the size of the sensor holder 308. A small size of the sensor holder 314 may facilitate discrete integration of the sensing element 206 into the lighting unit 200.

There illustrates a rear view of a lighting unit of a vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The housing 312 may have projections 502 on edges or corners. The projections 502 are to be used to secure the housing 312 to the front bumper 202, using fastening mechanisms 504 such as bolts and screws. The housing 312 may further have an opening 506 for mounting, removing and replacing the sensor unit 206. The opening 506 may also allow the passage of electrical cables for powering the lighting element and the sensor unit 206.

There illustrates a sectional view 600 of the lighting unit 200 installed in the vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The sectional view 600 shows the lighting unit 200 seen in section through a vertical axis (X-X').

Although the above description has been provided considering daytime running lights (DRL) as a lighting unit installed on a front bumper of a vehicle, it is understood that the present invention could similarly be implemented in other types of lighting units, such as driving lights, fog lights, tail lights, brake lights, parking lights and cornering lights, installed at suitable locations on the vehicle.

The integration of a lighting unit and a detection unit, as described above, would reduce the number of locations at which different elements are mounted on a vehicle and the number of mounting elements required for the integration of the different elements on the vehicle. By reducing the number of mounting elements, the installation complexity and installation cost would be reduced, and the aesthetic appearance of the vehicle would be improved.

In the above detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof, and illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. However, such description should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention in any way. The structure thus conceived in the present description is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, and all details may further be replaced by elements having technical equivalence.

Any combination of the above features and functionalities may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments. In the above description, embodiments have been described with reference to numerous specific details which may vary from implementation to implementation. The description and drawings are, therefore, to be considered in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The sole and exclusive indicator of the scope of the invention, and what Applicants intend to be the scope of the invention, is the literal and equivalent scope of the whole as claimed in the claims arising from this application, in the specific form in which such claims arise therefrom, including any subsequent emendations.

Claims

A lighting unit (200) of a vehicle, the lighting unit (200) comprising:
a lighting element mounted on a housing (312); and
a detection unit (206) integrated into the housing (312),
the detection unit (206) being fixed at a position to maximize the field of view.
A lighting unit (200) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a sensor holder (314) for integrating the sensing unit (206) into the housing (312).
A lighting unit (200) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sensor support (314) is a two-piece member, the sensing unit (206) being clamped between two pieces of the sensor support (314).
A lighting unit (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensing unit (206) is snapped or secured within the housing (312).
A lighting unit (200) as claimed in claim 1, the lighting unit (200) being selected from a group consisting of front lights, fog lights, tail lights, brake lights, parking lights, cornering lights and daytime running lights (DRL).
A lighting unit (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing (312) has an opening (506) for mounting and removing the sensing unit (206), and for allowing passage of electrical cables for powering the lighting unit and connecting the sensing unit (206) to power cables.
A lighting unit (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensing unit (206) is selected from a group consisting of an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor and a camera.