Patents by Inventor Ulrich Hechtfischer

Ulrich Hechtfischer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11420557
    Abstract: A light converting device comprising: a light converter with a light entrance surface and a light emission surface, wherein the light converter is arranged to convert laser light scanned over the light entrance surface to converted light, wherein a peak emission wavelength of the converted light is in a longer wavelength range than a laser peak emission wavelength of the laser light, a confinement structure enclosing the light converter, wherein the confinement structure is arranged to preserve a geometric shape of the light converter in case of a mechanical failure of the light converter. A laser-based light source comprising such a light converting device and a vehicle headlight comprising such a laser-based light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: LUMILEDS, LLC
    Inventors: Ulrich Hechtfischer, Florian Helling
  • Patent number: 11208030
    Abstract: The invention describes a method of providing an illumination pattern for vehicle lighting, the method comprising the steps of: providing a light pattern comprising a multitude of scanlines of white light by illuminating a light converter by means of a scanning laser arrangement for illuminating an area, wherein the scanlines are characterized by a defined scanline width; adapting a cut-off of the light pattern by changing a position of at least one scanline with respect to a reference illumination pattern or by dimming at least a limited portion of at least one scanline. The invention further describes a vehicle headlight system and a computer program product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Lumileds LLC
    Inventors: Ulrich Hechtfischer, Steffen Zozgornik
  • Patent number: 11118751
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a lighting device comprising light-emitting elements such as light-emitting diodes arranged on a substrate. The object to provide a lighting device comprising multiple light-emitting elements and light guides, wherein the thermal sensitivity of the lighting device is reduced in a particularly simple manner, is solved in that the lighting device comprises: a lens with a light entry side and a light exit side; light guides, each light guide being arranged in optical contact to at least one of the light-emitting elements and being configured to guide light emitted by the at least one of the light-emitting elements towards the light entry side of the lens; and a transparent stabilizer element being arranged in mechanical contact to the light exit side of the lens, wherein the transparent stabilizer element is configured to define the shape of the light exit side of the lens at least in regions. The invention further refers to a method for producing a lighting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Lumileds LLC
    Inventors: Florent Monestier, Benno Spinger, Ulrich Hechtfischer
  • Patent number: 10969076
    Abstract: The invention describes a light converting device comprising: a bonded layer stack comprising a light converter and a diamond layer, wherein the diamond layer is bonded to a bonding surface of the light converter, wherein the light converter is adapted to convert laser light to converted light, wherein a peak emission wavelength of the converted light is in a longer wavelength range than a laser peak emission wavelength of the laser light, wherein a refractive index of the diamond layer is bigger than a refractive index of the light converter, and a light outcoupling structure attached to a first surface of the bonded layer stack, wherein a second surface of the bonded layer stack is a light-entrance surface arranged to receive the laser light, wherein the bonding surface is arranged between the first surface and the second surface of the bonded layer stack, wherein a refractive index of the light outcoupling structure is at least 90% of the refractive index of the light converter, and wherein the light ou
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: LUMILEDS LLC
    Inventors: Ulrich Hechtfischer, Steffen Zozgornik
  • Patent number: 10955110
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a precollimator for a lighting device, including: a) a number of first collimator units each having an entry face and an exit plane, wherein for each first collimator unit the exit plane is wider than the entry face in a first direction and the entry face and the exit plane have the same width in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and b) a second collimator unit having an entry plane and an exit face, wherein the exit face is wider than the entry plane in the second direction, and wherein the exit plane of each first collimator unit is optically connected to the entry plane of the second collimator unit, wherein the precollimator is joined together from at least two components. The disclosure further describes such lighting device and a method to manufacture such precollimator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Lumileds LLC
    Inventors: Steffen Zozgornik, Ulrich Hechtfischer
  • Patent number: 10808903
    Abstract: A light converting device, comprising: a substrate functioning as a heatsink, a light converter adapted to convert laser light to converted light, wherein a peak emission wavelength of the converted light is in a longer wavelength range than a laser peak emission wavelength of the laser light, the light converter comprises a light entrance surface, a bonding surface opposite to the light entrance surface and at least one side surface, the bonding surface is mechanically and thermally coupled to the substrate, a reflective structure attached to or part of the substrate, wherein the reflective structure comprises at least one reflective metal surface arranged on the side of the substrate facing the light converter to reflect laser light and converted light, and a translucent ceramic protection layer, arranged between the reflective structure and the light converter, and having a thickness of less than 50 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: LUMILEDS HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Claudia Goldmann, Rainald Gierth, Ulrich Hechtfischer, Josef Schug
  • Publication number: 20200309342
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a lighting device comprising light-emitting elements such as light-emitting diodes arranged on a substrate. The object to provide a lighting device comprising multiple light-emitting elements and light guides, wherein the thermal sensitivity of the lighting device is reduced in a particularly simple manner, is solved in that the lighting device comprises: a lens with a light entry side and a light exit side; light guides, each light guide being arranged in optical contact to at least one of the light-emitting elements and being configured to guide light emitted by the at least one of the light-emitting elements towards the light entry side of the lens; and a transparent stabilizer element being arranged in mechanical contact to the light exit side of the lens, wherein the transparent stabilizer element is configured to define the shape of the light exit side of the lens at least in regions. The invention further refers to a method for producing a lighting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Florent Monestier, Benno Spinger, Ulrich Hechtfischer
  • Patent number: 10781987
    Abstract: The invention describes a light converting device comprising: a light converter for converting laser light to converted light, the light converter comprising a light entrance surface, a bonding surface opposite to the light entrance surface and a side surface; a substrate carrying the light converter and comprising a reflective structure for reflecting laser light and converted light; a reflective side structure optically coupled to the side surface of the light converter and for reflecting laser light and converted light; a cooling element attached to the reflective side structure for cooling the reflective side structure, wherein the cooling element comprises material which is transparent in the wavelength range of the laser light and the wavelength range of the converted light, and wherein the cooling element is arranged in an optical path of the laser light, an optical path of reflected laser light and an optical path of the converted light, and a decoupling structure between the light converter and th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: LUMILEDS LLC
    Inventors: Steffen Zozgornik, Ulrich Hechtfischer
  • Publication number: 20200191356
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a precollimator for a lighting device, including: a) a number of first collimator units each having an entry face and an exit plane, wherein for each first collimator unit the exit plane is wider than the entry face in a first direction and the entry face and the exit plane have the same width in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and b) a second collimator unit having an entry plane and an exit face, wherein the exit face is wider than the entry plane in the second direction, and wherein the exit plane of each first collimator unit is optically connected to the entry plane of the second collimator unit, wherein the precollimator is joined together from at least two components. The disclosure further describes such lighting device and a method to manufacture such precollimator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Steffen Zozgornik, Ulrich Hechtfischer
  • Publication number: 20200191351
    Abstract: The invention describes a light converting device comprising: a bonded layer stack comprising a light converter and a diamond layer, wherein the diamond layer is bonded to a bonding surface of the light converter, wherein the light converter is adapted to convert laser light to converted light, wherein a peak emission wavelength of the converted light is in a longer wavelength range than a laser peak emission wavelength of the laser light, wherein a refractive index of the diamond layer is bigger than a refractive index of the light converter, and a light outcoupling structure attached to a first surface of the bonded layer stack, wherein a second surface of the bonded layer stack is a light-entrance surface arranged to receive the laser light, wherein the bonding surface is arranged between the first surface and the second surface of the bonded layer stack, wherein a refractive index of the light outcoupling structure is at least 90% of the refractive index of the light converter, and wherein the light ou
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Ulrich Hechtfischer, Steffen Zozgornik
  • Patent number: 10648632
    Abstract: A translucent body's first surface is coupled to a top surface of a light converter. The light converter's bottom surface is coupled to a reflective bottom layer. A light coupling structure includes a hole in the reflective bottom layer and at least a slot in the light converter for receiving a light guide, and a light coupling surface for receiving laser light with a laser peak emission wavelength via the light guide. The light coupling surface is arranged so at least 80% of the laser light passing the light coupling surface is received by the translucent body. The translucent body comprises a second surface which is opposite the first surface and is coupled to a reflective top layer for reflecting at least part of the laser light back to the light converter. A peak emission wavelength of the converted light has a longer wavelength than the laser peak emission wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Lumileds LLC
    Inventors: Hans-Helmut Bechtel, Ulrich Hechtfischer, Thomas Diederich, Matthias Heidemann, Niels Jeroen Van Der Veen
  • Publication number: 20190390835
    Abstract: A light converting device, comprising: a substrate functioning as a heatsink, a light converter adapted to convert laser light to converted light, wherein a peak emission wavelength of the converted light is in a longer wavelength range than a laser peak emission wavelength of the laser light, the light converter comprises a light entrance surface, a bonding surface opposite to the light entrance surface and at least one side surface, the bonding surface is mechanically and thermally coupled to the substrate, a reflective structure attached to or part of the substrate, wherein the reflective structure comprises at least one reflective metal surface arranged on the side of the substrate facing the light converter to reflect laser light and converted light, and a translucent ceramic protection layer, arranged between the reflective structure and the light converter, and having a thickness of less than 50 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Claudia GOLDMANN, Rainald GIERTH, Ulrich HECHTFISCHER, Josef SCHUG
  • Publication number: 20190383456
    Abstract: The invention describes a light converting device comprising: a light converter for converting laser light to converted light, the light converter comprising a light entrance surface, a bonding surface opposite to the light entrance surface and a side surface; a substrate carrying the light converter and comprising a reflective structure for reflecting laser light and converted light; a reflective side structure optically coupled to the side surface of the light converter and for reflecting laser light and converted light; a cooling element attached to the reflective side structure for cooling the reflective side structure, wherein the cooling element comprises material which is transparent in the wavelength range of the laser light and the wavelength range of the converted light, and wherein the cooling element is arranged in an optical path of the laser light, an optical path of reflected laser light and an optical path of the converted light, and a decoupling structure between the light converter and th
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventors: Steffen Zozgornik, Ulrich Hechtfischer
  • Patent number: 10443800
    Abstract: The invention describes a laser-based light source comprising: a laser being arranged to emit laser light, a ceramic light converter being adapted to convert a part of the laser light to converted light, a light outcoupling dome with a base area of at least 2.5*105 ?m2 comprising a material with a thermal conductivity of more than 25 W/(m*K), wherein a bonding area of the light outcoupling dome of at least 8*103 ?m2 is adhesive-free bonded to the ceramic light converter, wherein the base area is at least 25 times larger than an area of the ceramic light converter being arranged to be illuminated by the laser, a substrate thermally coupled to the light outcoupling dome, wherein the light outcoupling dome comprises a reflective structure being arranged such that converted light emitted with an angle larger than ?=65° with respect to an optical axis of the light outcoupling dome is reflected back in the direction of the ceramic light converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: LUMILEDS LLC
    Inventors: Ulrich Hechtfischer, Steffen Zozgornik
  • Publication number: 20190283661
    Abstract: The invention describes a method of providing an illumination pattern for vehicle lighting, the method comprising the steps of: providing a light pattern comprising a multitude of scanlines of white light by illuminating a light converter by means of a scanning laser arrangement for illuminating an area, wherein the scanlines are characterized by a defined scanline width; adapting a cut-off of the light pattern by changing a position of at least one scanline with respect to a reference illumination pattern or by dimming at least a limited portion of at least one scanline. The invention further describes a vehicle headlight system and a computer program product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Ulrich Hechtfischer, Steffen Zozgornik
  • Publication number: 20190257488
    Abstract: The invention describes a laser-based light source comprising: a laser being arranged to emit laser light, a ceramic light converter being adapted to convert a part of the laser light to converted light, a light outcoupling dome with a base area of at least 2.5*105 ?m2 comprising a material with a thermal conductivity of more than 25 W/(m*K), wherein a bonding area of the light outcoupling dome of at least 8*103 ?m2 is adhesive-free bonded to the ceramic light converter, wherein the base area is at least 25 times larger than an area of the ceramic light converter being arranged to be illuminated by the laser, a substrate thermally coupled to the light outcoupling dome, wherein the light outcoupling dome comprises a reflective structure being arranged such that converted light emitted with an angle larger than ?=65° with respect to an optical axis of the light outcoupling dome is reflected back in the direction of the ceramic light converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Ulrich HECHTFISCHER, Steffen ZOZGORNIK
  • Publication number: 20190257483
    Abstract: The invention describes a light converting device comprising: a light converter with a light entrance surface and a light emission surface, wherein the light converter is arranged to convert laser light scanned over the light entrance surface to converted light, wherein a peak emission wavelength of the converted light is in a longer wavelength range than a laser peak emission wavelength of the laser light, a confinement structure enclosing the light converter, wherein the confinement structure is arranged to preserve a geometric shape of the light converter in case of a mechanical failure of the light converter. The invention further describes a laser-based light source comprising such a light converting device. The invention finally describes a vehicle headlight comprising such a laser-based light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Applicant: LUMILEDS HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Ulrich HECHTFISCHER, Florian HELLING
  • Patent number: 10309607
    Abstract: A lighting system includes a light source such as a laser, a scanning system such as a micro-mechanical mirror, and a converter element such as a phosphor. A redirection element is arranged in the optical path and has a discontinuity so that light is redirected to spaced apart locations on the converter element from adjacent locations on either side of the discontinuity. The redirection element increases the light's angular range. The lighting system may have a lens to project a desired pattern of light on the converter element forwards. A controller may control the scanning system to produce the desired pattern of light. The lighting system may adapt the pattern of light. The lighting system may be used in automotive applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventor: Ulrich Hechtfischer
  • Publication number: 20190137063
    Abstract: A translucent body's first surface is coupled to a top surface of a light converter. The light converter's bottom surface is coupled to a reflective bottom layer. A light coupling structure includes a hole in the reflective bottom layer and at least a slot in the light converter for receiving a light guide, and a light coupling surface for receiving laser light with a laser peak emission wavelength via the light guide. The light coupling surface is arranged so at least 80% of the laser light passing the light coupling surface is received by the translucent body. The translucent body comprises a second surface which is opposite the first surface and is coupled to a reflective top layer for reflecting at least part of the laser light back to the light converter. A peak emission wavelength of the converted light has a longer wavelength than the laser peak emission wavelength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: Lumileds LLC
    Inventors: Hans-Helmut BECHTEL, Ulrich HECHTFISCHER, Thomas DIEDERICH, Matthias HEIDEMANN, Niels Jeroen VAN DER VEEN
  • Patent number: 10260695
    Abstract: The invention describes a light conversion module (100) comprising a transparent substrate (120), a conversion layer (110) attached to a light exit side of the substrate (120), wherein the conversion layer (110) is arranged to convert a part of laser light (10) of a first wavelength range entering the substrate (120) via a light entrance side to converted laser light (20) of a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range, and to transmit another part of the laser light (10), such that a mixture of the transmitted laser light (15) and of a part of the converted laser light (20) leaves the conversion layer (110) in forward direction opposite to the side where the conversion layer (110) is attached to the light exit side of the substrate (120), and wherein the substrate (120) is arranged such that converted laser light (20) entering the substrate via the light exit side is inhibited to re-enter the conversion layer (110) via the light exit side by arranging a thickness of the substrate (120)
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: LUMILEDS HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Ulrich Hechtfischer, Steffen Zozgornik