CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present disclosure claims the benefit of priority of co-pending European Patent Application No. 19204828.8, filed on Oct. 23, 2019, and entitled “AN IMPROVED HOUSING FOR COUPLING OF LIGHT FROM A LIGHT SOURCE TO AN OPTICAL LIGHT GUIDE,” the contents of which are incorporated in full by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to housing for enabling coupling of light from a light source to an optical light guide.

BACKGROUND

Illumination of components or surfaces is desirable in various situations including in vehicle interiors. For example, it may be desirable to illuminate e.g. door panel components or a centre console. For providing illumination to a preferred location, the light emitted by a light source is often guided by a guiding structure such as an optical fiber, to the preferred location. This also means there must be a coupling between the light source and the guiding structure.

The coupling between the light source and the guiding structure is preferably easily disassembled for replacement of e.g. the light source, or for maintenance. Furthermore, it is desirable to avoid light leakage from the coupling structure, and being able to easily redirected the guiding structure without having to disassemble the guiding structure from the coupling structure.

SUMMARY

The disclosed subject matter generally relates to a housing for enabling coupling of light from a light source to an optical light guide. The housing allows for the optical light guide to rotate about its axis with respect to the housing and a light source while at the same time maintaining the optical coupling with the light source.

Accordingly, it is desirable to couple light from a light source to an optical light guide, where the optical light guide is freely rotatable about its axis. This advantage is obtained by a locking mechanism of the housing where the light source is arrangeable. The locking mechanism includes a circumferential structure adapted to receive at least one radial locking member of the optical light guide. The circumferential structure is configured such that the optical light guide is rotatable about its axis in the locking mechanism while maintaining a spatial relationship between the end portion of the optical light guide and the light source.

The circumferential structure preferably has a circular cross-section.

In one advantageous embodiment, the locking mechanism may include a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is fixed in the housing and includes a first circumferential structure portion. The second portion is rotatable with respect to the first portion and includes a second circumferential structure portion. In this way, in a first rotational orientation of the second portion, the first and second circumferential structure portions are displaced from each other to allow for removal of the optical light guide. Further, in a second rotational orientation of the second portion the first and second circumferential structure portions are adapted to engage with the radial locking members of the optical light guide. Thereby, easy assembly and disassembly of the optical light guide from the housing is enabled by a simple rotational motion of the second locking mechanism portion with respect to the first locking mechanism portion.

Further, by realizing a locking mechanism that encloses the radial locking members of the optical light guide, the housing also provides reduced, or no, light leakage. One such locking mechanism includes a circumferential structure including a trench adapted to receive the radial locking members of the optical light guide.

Further features of, and advantages with, the embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent when studying the appended claims and the following description. The skilled person realize that different features of the present disclosure may be combined to create embodiments other than those described in the following, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

