DE10147584A1 - Lighting arrangement for motor vehicles automatically reduces power of, in particular switches off, at least high power lights on flaps while relevant flap is open - Google Patents

Abstract

The lighting arrangement has lights mounted on opening flaps. The power of at least high power lights is automatically reduced, in particular the lights are switched off, while the relevant flap (2) is open. The lights (4) can be automatically switched off after the flap is opened following a defined period.

Description

The invention relates to a lighting device for motor vehicles with openable Flaps arranged lights, according to the preamble of claim 1.

Lighting devices on vehicles are generally legal required. On the one hand there are lights for illuminating the road, so-called Headlights are provided and in the rear of the vehicle are in essential signal lights arranged for orientation of the following traffic. In addition, special lights such as turn signals and Reversing lights also provided. An optimal and functional Illumination of the route and optimally placed signal lights are not only sought after design aspects, but they must also be functional in the first place his. Regarding advantageous functionalities of the lighting device Motor vehicles have numerous examples in the prior art.

A lighting control for vehicles is known from DE 35 03 451 C2, the lighting is regulated depending on the outside light conditions or is controlled. In this way, the driver always tries recurring decision to take when it would be advisable to take the Turn on the outside lights.

The G 93 14 710.4 is an automatic switching on and off of the Motor vehicle lights depending on the outside light conditions in connection with the status of the ignition actuation known. This also takes into account that the exterior lighting on the motor vehicle, of course, only when the ignition is switched on is switched on automatically.

A safety device is known from G 90 07 426.2 which detects the door lighting still holds off as long as the door opening does not exceed a certain one Opening angle is open. Target direction of such a lighting control, which in this case, however, is not based on the exterior lighting, but on the Door lighting acts with the door open, it is to avoid that the Door lighting is already switched on when the door is only a gap  is open. If there is only a gap-wide opening of the door, the door lighting is switched on otherwise already switched on, although the said light in this Opening condition still relatively close to an interior trim part or one Body part on the motor vehicle lingers. In this case, overheating can occur arise that should be prevented with a safety device of this type.

From EP 0 256 399 B1 a rear door for motor vehicles with integrated Tail lights known. In this example, tail lights are no longer only on the fixed outer panel, i.e. the vehicle body arranged, but the entire rear light assembly or the rear light band extends at least partially over the flap or tailgate elements of the Trunk cover or tailgate. There is a special one in this document Ventilation of the rear lights specified.

From US 44 20 797 a lamp assembly for motor vehicles is known with Illuminants below the tailgate and reflectors inside the tailgate. Only at; only when closed tailgate correspond to those below the tailgate, for example in Bulb area arranged optically with those in the rear door arranged reflectors. This means that the entire rear light is divided into an area in which the lamps are arranged, but which is below the Rear door is arranged, the actual lamp arrangement with light-emitting Surface and reflector arranged therein is arranged in the rear door. optical When the rear door is closed, the lamps correspond to the lights above Openings so that the light from the illuminants can fall into the reflectors. To this One achieves that in the movable tailgate for the viewer the lamp is arranged outside, but the lamp, for example, in the underlying bumper is hidden, so that inside the rear door no cables need to be laid.

From EP 0 635 416 B1 there is only one placement in terms of design Lighting group specified on the tailgate of a vehicle, the Lighting group is placed so that the interface between the outside and Interior trim of the body is covered by the lighting group.

For lights arranged inside the tailgate or the trunk cover are, the problem arises that not only cable elastic in the tailgate or the trunk cover must be integrated, but that at  operational vehicle switched on, and with the lights on and simultaneous opening of this tailgate with the vehicle still switched on Position of the lamp as such in the room is pivoted almost 90 °, and itself therefore different thermal distribution conditions in the switched on lamp result.

None of the aforementioned documents from the prior art takes this into account.

The invention is therefore based on the object of a lighting device Generic type to the extent that in the open state Tailgate or tailgate or trunk lid and turned on at the same time Glow, overheating can be avoided.

The task is in a lighting device of the generic type solved according to the invention by the characterizing features of claim 1.

Further advantageous refinements of the lighting device according to the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

The essence of the invention is that when opening a corresponding flap at least the bulbs with high heat output, especially for the duration of the Open position, can be switched off automatically. This now also takes into account the In case the vehicle is switched on, the lights are also switched on and in Stand the vehicle again the tailgate or tailgate or trunk lid is or must be operated. The shutdown can be immediate or after expiration a predefined period of time after opening. That is also conceivable Switching off the light sources after opening depending on the resulting ones Regulate heat output.

The invention makes use of the following knowledge. Shine in The rear section has a more or less rectangular cross section. On one of the long sides of the rectangular cross-sectional contour is the light-emitting one Area that should be optimally large and therefore on one of the long sides of it Rectangular contour is placed. The narrow sides of the rectangular contour give the depth of the Luminaire housing again, the depth of the luminaire housing in an optimal way should be minimal, so not, or at least not so far over the body have to stand out, and thus an optimal compact installation with less  Installation depth. On the opposite side of the light emitting surface The illuminant is arranged on the long side of this rectangular contour. Usually at Tail lights with high light output, such as for reversing lights or in taillights in general, this is an incandescent lamp that is next to the Light emission also generates one from emission of thermal energy. As is known, the heat produced by this light bulb rises, so along the narrow sides of the rectangular contour there is a relatively long one Flow path, with the lamp at appropriate points, d. H. the lamp body or the luminaire housing can contain ventilation slots.

Now if the tailgate or the trunk cover,. H. the trunk lid opened, the entire lamp assembly, which is arranged thereon, is about Swiveled 90 °. Of course, this does not change the geometric relationships inside the lamp. However, this does change the thermal flow paths relative to the luminaire housing. If the tailgate is pivoted upwards, then the heat generated by the lamp still rises largely vertically upwards, with only a depth corresponding to the Narrow sides of the rectangular contour results. Since this is the outer surface, and therefore the one surface to be protected against dirt and water ingress, against which the flow arrives with only a short flow path and cannot be provided with slits overheating, which in the past either caused damage, Deformations or even small smoldering fires within the lights to have.

In the illustrated lighting device according to the invention is now at least the lamp with high heat output for the duration of the open position the tailgate or tailgate is automatically switched off. This is the Heat development stopped abruptly and overheating avoided.

In an advantageous embodiment, the lighting device according to the invention is used Lights used in the rear lights area.

In a further advantageous embodiment, it is indicated that the flap one up is foldable tailgate or a trunk lid, as already shown above.

It is also advantageous that the lights in the tailgate or Trunk lid are integrated on the outside, which means that large tailgate areas  low loading sill can be realized constructively and at the same time there is enough space left remains to place large, signal-technically efficient rear lights.

In a further advantageous embodiment it is stated that the automatically switchable lights that are reversing lights. Basically, these generate a high proportion of heat, since these are equipped with powerful lamps.

In a further advantageous embodiment it is stated that the said automatically switchable lights are the rear driving lights of the rear light section. These are if the vehicle is already ready for use with the exterior lighting switched on, also in the Stand switched on.

Another luminaire with a higher light output and thus a higher thermal Development of the corresponding lamp is the rear fog lamp, which in the Case in which it is integrated in the lid or said flap on the should be automatically switched off in the same way.

In a further advantageous embodiment, it is indicated that the lights on this Are automatically switched off, temporarily switched off in this way and after Closing the flap can also be switched on again automatically.

Furthermore, as already explained above, rear lamp arrangements are known which are partially integrated in the fixed rear body section and partially extend into the trunk lid or tailgate. For In this case, it is advantageous that at least in a rear light assembly of this type that part of the rear light arrangement which is arranged on the flap for which Duration of the open position can be switched off automatically. The remaining fixed Lights of the rear light arrangement can, because they are not on the movable Flap are arranged and thus can not be pivoted spatially and consequently, the thermal conditions within the luminaire do not change change, these can of course be switched on unchanged when open stay. Switching off and on again only affects those on the tailgate or rear light elements arranged on the trunk lid.

The invention is illustrated in the drawing and described in more detail below.

It shows:

Fig. 1 rear section of a motor vehicle with a tailgate.

Fig. 2 rear section of a motor vehicle with trunk lid in the closed and open position.

Fig. 1 shows the rear section in a simple, schematic illustration of a motor vehicle 1. The tailgate 2 is designed in the outer contour shown here and extends far down in the lower region, so that a low loading edge, which is considerably advantageous when loading and unloading the motor vehicle, results. Since the remaining places on the fixed body part are only small areas, a generous arrangement of a rear light arrangement with large light-emitting areas would not be possible. For this reason, the rear lamp section is divided into a rear lamp section 3 , which is arranged on the fixed body of the motor vehicle 1 , and a second rear lamp section 4 , which is arranged within the rear door 2 .

The tailgate 2 shown here can, however, also be a trunk lid, on which a rear light arrangement divided in this way into two parts is arranged in the same way. Even with a normal trunk lid of a limousine configuration of the motor vehicle, the placement of a further rear light section can also be provided on the trunk lid. If the tailgate or the trunk lid 2 is now opened, the tail lamp section 2 on the fixed body remains, of course, spatially unchanged, while the second tail lamp section 4 is pivoted upwards together with the tailgate or the trunk lid 2 . This changes the spatial position of the rear lights, and the thermal flow conditions within the rear light part 4 changes drastically compared to that in the fixed rear lights or the rear light part 3 . In the inventive manner to the account and to avoid overheating either arranged in the second rear lights Board 4 heißesten lamps or the entire rear lights Board 4 for the duration of the open position of the tailgate 2 and the boot lid will automatically after a predefined period of time, for example 10 minutes , switched off and switched on again when closed. For this purpose, simple elements, such as closing contacts or position sensors for the opening position of the tailgate, which are actuated somewhere in the opening or closing range of the tailgate or tailgate with mechanical intervention of the tailgate position, are to be used, and the switching on and off is automatic and dependent effect from the opening position, as is also used for the door lighting or interior lighting when the vehicle door is open.

FIG. 2 shows two basic positions of a trunk lid 2 in two picture elements FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b, the rear part of a motor vehicle 1 being shown only partially. Fig. 2a shows a closed trunk lid 2 , in which a rear light section 4 is arranged integrated. The circle of details around the section of the trunk lid 2 around the rear light section 4 is again shown in detail alongside and enlarged. The thermal and geometric situation of a rear light described at the beginning is again shown in a stylized manner. The light-emitting outer surface is one of the long sides of the rectangular contour which results here, the rectangular contour standing upright, ie when the trunk lid is closed. The illuminant 5 is arranged on the opposite side of the light-emitting surface, which in this case is an incandescent illuminant and thus produces heat. This heat can rise along the long sides or at least half the height of the long sides within the rear light 4 and, for example, be dissipated at the top on the rear long side facing away from the spray water area through ventilation slots. Ventilation slots on the light-emitting surface are not advisable, as this can allow moisture to penetrate and permanently pollute and even destroy the lighting device.

In the lower part of Fig. 2, the state of an open trunk lid 2 with the integrated rear light section 4 is shown. In this open position, the rear light section 4 is now also rotated or pivoted about 90 ° in space. In the detail circle, this means that the rear light section 4 is now also rotated by 90 ° with respect to the detail circle from FIG. 2a. What remains unchanged is that the heat produced by the illuminant 5 in turn rises almost vertically upwards, but now only has a flow path corresponding to half the installation depth, that is to say half the narrow side of the rectangular contour. Here it is already easy to see that the flow path is relatively short and the outer surface or outer longitudinal side of the rear light section 4, which is thus flowed with hot air, can of course have no ventilation slots for the reasons mentioned above, since moisture would penetrate through this. As a result, heat builds up in the open state of the trunk lid 2 when the rear light section is switched on.

For this reason, said rear light section 4 or the lamps arranged therein, at least those with high output, are switched off for the duration of the open position of the tailgate or the trunk lid of the motor vehicle in the open position.

Claims (10)

1. Lighting device for motor vehicles with lights arranged on openable flaps, characterized in that when opening a corresponding flap ( 2 ) at least the lamps ( 5 ) with high heat output for the duration of the open position are automatically reduced in their power, in particular can be switched off. 2. Lighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the lamps ( 5 ) when opening the flap ( 2 ) and expiry of a predefined period of time can be switched off automatically. 3. Lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lights ( 4 , 3 ) are rear lights. 4. Lighting device according to claim 3, characterized in that the flap ( 2 ) is an upward folding tailgate or a trunk lid ( 2 ). 5. Lighting device according to claim 4, characterized in that the lights ( 4 ) in the tailgate or the trunk lid ( 2 ) are integrated on the outside. 6. Lighting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lights ( 4 ) are reversing lights. 7. Lighting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized that the lights are the rear driving lights / rear lights. 8. Lighting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lights ( 4 ) are the rear fog lights. 9. Lighting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that all lights ( 4 ) can be temporarily switched off and on again. 10. Lighting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in a rear light arrangement ( 3 , 4 ) in which only one rear light part ( 4 ) is arranged on or in the tailgate or trunk lid ( 2 ), another rear light part ( 3 ) is arranged on or in the outer body, at least the first-mentioned rear light section ( 4 ) of the rear light arrangement can be switched off automatically for the duration of the open position.