Integral lighting assembly

Abstract

The invention describes an integral lighting assembly ( 1 A, 1 B, 1 C, 1 D, 1 E) comprising an optical arrangement ( 2, 3 ); a first light source (S 1 ) for generating a first beam (L 1 ) of light; a first collimator (C 1 ) for directing the first beam (L 1 ) at the optical arrangement ( 2, 3 ); a second light source (S 2 ) for generating a second beam (L 2 ) of light; and a second collimator (C 2 ) for directing the second beam (L 2 ) at the optical arrangement ( 2, 3 ), wherein the optical arrangement ( 2, 3 ) is realized to manipulate the first and second light beams (L 1 , L 2 ) to give a first exit beam (BLO) and a second exit beam (B HI ) such that the first exit beam (BLO) and the second exit beam (B HI ) are partially combined in an overlap region ( 44 ) on a projection plane ( 4 ) located at a predefined distance from the integral lighting assembly ( 1 A, 1 B, 1 C, 1 D, 1 E). The invention further describes an automotive headlamp arrangement ( 12 ) comprising such an integral lighting assembly ( 1 A, 1 B, 1 C, 1 D, 1 E).

1 . An integral lighting assembly comprising:
 an optical arrangement;   a first light source configured to generate a first beam of light directed at the optical arrangement; and   a second light source configured to generate a second beam of light directed at the optical arrangement,   wherein the optical arrangement is configured to manipulate the first beam to provide a low exit beam and to manipulate the second beam to provide a high exit beam such that the low exit beam and the high exit beam are partially combined in an overlap region on a projection plane located at a predefined distance from the integral lighting assembly, and   wherein the optical arrangement comprises spreading elements and shifting elements such that one of said first beam and said second beam intersects said spreading elements and the other of said first beam and said second beam intersects said shifting elements.   
     
     
         2 . The integral lighting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the spreading elements are configured to horizontally spread any light incident at the spreading elements and the shifting elements are configured to vertically shift any light incident at the shifting elements. 
     
     
         3 . The integral lighting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the optical arrangement comprises a first lens and wherein the spreading elements comprise a plurality of linear lenses and the shifting elements comprise a plurality of linear prism elements. 
     
     
         4 . The integral lighting assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of linear lenses are oriented on a surface of the first lens essentially perpendicular to the linear prism elements. 
     
     
         5 . The integral lighting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first beam is predominantly directed at a portion of the optical arrangement disposed on a first side of an optical axis of the lighting assembly at which the first light source is disposed and wherein the second beam is predominantly directed at a portion of the optical arrangement disposed on a second side of the optical axis at which the second light source is disposed. 
     
     
         6 . The integral lighting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first beam is predominantly directed at a portion of the optical arrangement disposed on a first side of an optical axis of the lighting assembly at which the second light source is disposed and wherein the second beam is predominantly directed at a portion of the optical arrangement disposed on a second side of the optical axis at which the first light source is disposed. 
     
     
         7 . The integral lighting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the optical arrangement comprises a reflector and wherein the spreading elements and the shifting elements are disposed on a surface of the reflector. 
     
     
         8 . The integral lighting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the spreading elements and the shifting elements are respective facets formed in the surface of the reflector. 
     
     
         9 . The integral lighting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the optical arrangement comprises a first lens and wherein the spreading elements are configured to spread at least part of the first beam prior to manipulation by the first lens such that the low exit beam is projected to give two overlapping first beam regions in the projection plane. 
     
     
         10 . The integral lighting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the optical arrangement comprises a first lens and wherein the shifting elements are configured to shift at least part of the second beam prior to manipulation by the first lens such that the high exit beam is projected to give two overlapping second beam regions in the projection plane. 
     
     
         11 . The integral lighting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the optical arrangement comprises a projection lens. 
     
     
         12 . The integral lighting assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein the shifting elements are configured to vertically shift light incident at the shifting elements prior to refraction by the projection lens. 
     
     
         13 . The integral lighting assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein the spreading elements comprise a plurality of cylindrical lens elements that are arranged to refract and horizontally spread light incident at the spreader elements prior to refraction by the projection lens. 
     
     
         14 . The integral lighting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second beams intersect at least partially in a focal plane overlap region on a focal plane of the optical arrangement so that the overlap region of the projection plane corresponds to the focal plane overlap region. 
     
     
         15 . The integral lighting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the optical arrangement is further configured to manipulate the first and second beams such that a majority of the low exit beam is non-overlapping with respect to the high exit beam in the projection plane. 
     
     
         16 . The integral lighting assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein the predefined distance is 25 meters. 
     
     
         17 . The integral lighting assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a first collimator configured to direct the first beam at the optical arrangement and a second collimator configured to direct the second beam at the optical arrangement. 
     
     
         18 . The integral lighting assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first or second collimators comprises a prism element at a corresponding light exit opening of the respective collimator, and wherein the prism element of the respective collimator is configured to refract the corresponding beam towards an optical axis of the lighting assembly. 
     
     
         19 . An automotive headlamp arrangement comprising the integral lighting assembly according to  claim 1 .