756results about "Light guides" patented technology

A vehicle lighting system for a vehicle includes an accessory module assembly that is adapted for attachment to an interior portion of a vehicle and configured to illuminate, for example, an area inside the vehicle. The module assembly includes a single high-intensity power light emitting diode that has a luminous efficiency of at least about 1 lumen per watt when the light emitting diode is operated and is preferably operated at a forward current of at least 100 milliamps. The system also includes a voltage conversion element for converting the battery / ignition voltage of the vehicle to the forward operating voltage of the light emitting diode.

An optical transmission tube for illumination is uniquely incorporated into any one of a variety of automotive, commercial, retail, structural, architectural, safety, or other products including running boards, vehicle interior compartments such as a glove box, approximate the license plate attachment area on a vehicle, a trunk, a vehicle hood, on a vehicle door, a vehicle bumper, a vehicle luggage rack, a picture frame, a flashlight, a building, a guard rail, a construction barrier, a bicycle, a sign, an appliance interior compartment such as a refrigerator, a part bin, a retail display shelf, a clipboard, a step, a tractor trailer, a desk, a walkway, a room or storage chamber, a runway, an instrument panel, a railroad crossing gate, an emergency sign, an elevator doorway, a swimming pool, a dog collar, a fish tank, a baby crib a hand rail, an inline skate an island in a parking lot or on a street, affixed to a curb, or on safety clothing.

The invention relates to a molded part, in particular a decorative part and / or a trim part for a vehicle interior. According to the invention, the molded part comprises at least one excitation source for emitting electromagnetic waves and at least one luminescent material which is excitable or excited by the electromagnetic waves emerging from the excitation source or sources to emit light in the visible range.

An opposed reflecting mirror is provided so as to face a light source. The opposed reflecting mirror is configured to reflect light rays, emitted from the light source, so as to allow the reflected light rays to advance in a predetermined direction. A light guide body having a plurality of reflecting surfaces is provided to permit the incidence of light rays supplied from the opposed reflecting mirror and to reflect the incident light rays. The plurality of reflecting surfaces are located at different positions in a sliding split manner along the direction of light rays supplied from the opposed reflecting mirror. By virtue of this construction, a light emitting apparatus can be provided in which, while making the best use of a feature of LED, i.e., a small thickness, impressive illumination of an elongated shape by one light emitting device and high external emission efficiency can be realized. The arrangement of a plurality of light emitting apparatuses of the above type at predetermined intervals can provide on-vehicle or other displays of a novel and unconventional design.

A rearview mirror for a vehicle. The rearview mirror comprises a mirror housing having a bottom opening. A reflective element is located within the mirror housing, with the reflective element being configured to reflect an image having a reflecting component in a first direction out of the mirror housing. A light source is also located within the mirror housing. The light source emits light along a beam axis, with the beam axis having a directional component in a second direction. A deviator is configured to redirect the light emitted from the light source through the bottom opening of the housing. The first direction and the second direction are parallel and opposite.

An interior decorating item such as a seat for motor vehicles or aircraft, an instrument console, an inner cover for vehicle doors or the like comprises an optical wave guide (1) which emits visible light along at least part of its length and is held in a fastening device (2, 3). The optical wave guide (1) is positioned inside a strip of material (3) of the fastening device, which strip forms a transparent hollow part (2). In its cross section, the fastening device has a strip of material extending away from the hollow part (2) and serving as fastening lug (4) with which the optical wave guide (1) is held in the hollow part (2) and is attached to the interior decorating item. At least one end of the optical wave guide (1) has a light source for introducing light into the optical wave guide (1). The interior decorating item can also be an optical wave guide visibly held under a seam or sewn into the item.

An airbag emblem may be backlit or illuminated to provide the emblem with greater visual appeal. In order to accomplish this illumination, an illumination source is used. This illumination source may be electroluminescent foil. The emblem includes colors that are added or inserted onto the emblem. These colors are translucent so that they may be illuminated by the illumination source. This emblem may be placed as part of an airbag cover on a steering wheel.

A lighting device is provided that includes a housing containing a light emitting portion of a light emitting diode and a terminus of a fiber optic bundle such that light emission from the light emitting diode is communicated along the optical fibers. The fiber optic bundle has a flattened distal portion with a cross-sectional array of layers of optical fibers. A diffusing layer is attached to the fiber optic bundle overlying the flattened distal portion. The lighting device, upon being overlaid with a graphic and surrounded by a frame through which the graphic is visible, provides a vehicle lighting assembly securable to a vehicle substrate. The vehicle light assembly is particularly well suited for vehicle exterior badging, kick plates and vanity lighting within the vehicle passenger compartment.

Disclosed is a Mushroom-shaped light guide for a homogeneous illumination of a circular scale of a motor vehicle operating device by means of a light source (LED) arranged opposite a light input surface of a mushroom-shaped cone, wherein a light input surface has a cylindrical recess, and edge of which is rounded off in a circle with a radius R between a lateral surface and an axial surface, and a base of which is provided in a form of a ball surface which projects centrally, whereby the mushroom-shaped cone has a conical end section. This produces an increased parallel alignment of the light beams, which effects an improved illumination of the dial.

An airbag emblem may be backlit or illuminated to provide the emblem with greater visual appeal. In order to accomplish this illumination, an illumination source is used. This illumination source may be electroluminescent foil. The emblem includes colors that are added or inserted onto the emblem. These colors are translucent so that they may be illuminated by the illumination source. This emblem may be placed as part of an airbag cover on a steering wheel.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method of perforating the cover layer or soft skin of an automotive trim panel such as an instrument panel with a laser to allow light to bleed through the perforations. The light source would preferably be a low heat generating or “cool” type source such as an LED. The light source would be attached to a suitable substrate or incorporated in to a flexible printed circuit and coupled to the vehicle electrical system. This method would enable fill switch integration to a trim panel and provide a seamless styling opportunity regarding the electrical controls. This method would help reduce cost and weight, improve quality, and promote new seamless styling theme.

A lighting arrangement (1) of a space-saving configuration, including a fluorescent lamp (2) and at least one light emitting diode (6), which is suitable in particular for use for interior lighting of an aircraft. In this case the light emitting diode (6), viewed in the direction of a main lighting direction (13), is arranged behind the fluorescent lamp (2). The lighting arrangement (1) further includes a light guide element (10) which is adapted to guide light (L2) emitted by the light emitting diode (6) past the fluorescent lamp (2) and emit it substantially in the main lighting direction (13).

An interior component having an illuminated portion comprises a trim cover positioned over a substrate. At least one light conductive element is in communication with an illumination source. A carrier engages the trim cover. The carrier further secures the light conductive element to the trim cover. The carrier has a plurality of windows formed therethrough such that the light conductive element is visible through the plurality of windows. The illuminated portion may further include an emblem in communication with the light source. The illuminated interior component may be formed by a method that includes the steps of forming a light conductive element that includes extruding an optical guide and a carrier having a mounting tab thereon.

A lighting arrangement for the interior of an automotive vehicle in which the light source, such as an LED, is recessed into the interior structure of the vehicle and covered with a layer of fabric. The light source is invisible when not in use, but shines through the fabric / foam layer when illuminated, and can be associated with a light transmitting member, such as a light bar and a light pipe. Such lighting arrangements can be disposed within the headliner to direct light where desired and for different functions, such as a map light or for area lighting. The lighting arrangement can be mounted in non-traditional locations, such as on vertically oriented pillars, visors, door panels, seat backs, seat fronts, and console sides. The light source is preferably one or more LEDs associated with a light transmitting medium to direct the discharge of light as desired within the automotive interior.

A lighting arrangement for the interior of an automotive vehicle in which the light source, such as an LED, is recessed into the interior structure of the vehicle and covered with a layer of fabric. The light source is invisible when not in use, but shines through the fabric / foam layer when illuminated, and can be associated with a light transmitting member, such as a light bar and a light pipe. Such lighting arrangements can be disposed within the headliner to direct light where desired and for different functions, such as a map light or for area lighting. The lighting arrangement can be mounted in non-traditional locations, such as on vertically oriented pillars, visors, door panels, seat backs, seat fronts, and console sides. The light source is preferably one or more LEDs associated with a light transmitting medium to direct the discharge of light as desired within the automotive interior.

The invention relates to an interior equipment component for a vehicle, comprising a light emission element for emitting light and a strip-shaped light guide element. The light guide element has here a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is one of the two largest surfaces of the light guide element, and the second surface is a surface which deviates therefrom, and the first surface comprises an input face. In addition, the light guide element and the light emission element are arranged and configured in such a way that light from the light emission element can be input into the light guide element via the input face and can be output via the second surface.

A light guide module with adjustable lighting of a contour surface is composed of light sources and a light guide. The light guide is composed of a primary part, a Y-shaped branch, and a secondary part with a contour surface. The supporting surface of the Y-shaped branch of the light guide is composed of a system of directional optical elements, is of prismatic shape, conical shape, or a combination thereof, and has a vertex on the optical axis of the primary part of the light guide.

A device for providing a source of illumination for recessed cup holders on the console of an automotive vehicle, boat and the like. The illumination device includes a clear acrylic disk that is adapted to be nested on the bottom wall of a conventional, standard size cup holder. The acrylic disk has a hollow portion that receives an LED lamp. The lamp is conventionally wired to the vehicle electric system. The device provides a subtle, aesthetic illumination ring of around a receptacle placed in the recessed holder, thus allowing both driver and passenger to safely locate the beverage receptacle at night.

The invention relates to a molded part, in particular a decorative part and / or a trim part for a vehicle interior. According to the invention, the molded part comprises at least one excitation source for emitting electromagnetic waves and at least one luminescent material which is excitable or excited by the electromagnetic waves emerging from the excitation source or sources to emit light in the visible range.

An interior trim component for a vehicle includes a main body having an exterior surface for facing the interior of the vehicle. The body defines an internal cavity formed therein and an opening in the exterior surface. The cavity and the opening are in communication with each other. A source of light is mounted in the cavity such that the source of light is hidden from direct normal viewing within the interior of the vehicle.

A lighting fixture, which is arranged to receive two or more elongated light sources positioned one after another in the longitudinal direction of the light sources, the lighting fixture comprising one or more connecting devices, which are arranged to supply energy to the light sources in order to burn them and positioned in a region between the successive light sources in the lighting fixture, and a globe part and a background part, which are arranged to be connected to one another and to substantially surround the light sources and the connecting devices. The lighting fixture further comprises one or more cover plates, which are arranged at the connecting devices between the globe part and the background part of the lighting fixture to substantially cover the connecting devices, and one or more second light sources, which are arranged in connection with the cover plate to provide lighting from the region between the successive elongated light sources.

An interior component having an illuminated portion comprises a trim cover positioned over a substrate. At least one light conductive element is in communication with an illumination source. A carrier engages the trim cover. The carrier further secures the light conductive element to the trim cover. The carrier has a plurality of windows formed therethrough such that the light conductive element is visible through the plurality of windows. The illuminated portion may further include an emblem in communication with the light source. The illuminated interior component may be formed by a method that includes the steps of forming a light conductive element that includes extruding an optical guide and a carrier having a mounting tab thereon.

An example light guide assembly for illuminating a display of an instrument cluster includes a light receiving portion, a light propagating portion and a conical surface positioned between the light receiving portion and the light propagating portion. An exterior surface of the light propagating portion includes a plurality of lobes that uniformly illuminate the display as light propagates from the light receiving portion to the conical surface and through the light propagating portion.

The various embodiments of the present invention generally include a display device having a surface with indicia formed thereon. The indicia are indicative of at least one vehicle parameter. The display device includes a light guide connected to the surface and a light-reflecting portion formed in the light guide. The light-reflecting portion is disposed at least partially over one of the indicia. The light guide collects light, directs the light toward the light-reflecting portion and illuminates at least one of the indicia. The light guide and the light reflecting portion provide an enhanced or decorative effect for one or more of the indicia.

A service apparatus for a transportation means comprises a first component in the form of an air shower with an air inlet and at least one air outlet, and a second component in the form of an illumination device. The first component and the second component are arranged essentially centrically in relation to each other, wherein one of the two components encloses the other component essentially in a ring-shaped manner. In this way an integral reading light with a forced-air nozzle, or an integral forced-air nozzle with a reading light, is implemented that uses little design space.

Various implementations of illumination systems are described herein. For example, the illumination system includes a light guide having an outer surface and an inner surface that extend between a first end and a second end of the light guide, and at least one light source disposed adjacent the first end of the light guide. The light source emits infrared or visible light into the first end of the light guide. The light guide transmits the light from the light source through at least a portion of the outer surface of the light guide. In addition, the system may include a second light source disposed adjacent the second end of the light guide. The second light source emits infrared or visible light into the second end of the light guide.

A method of illuminating a component, having an outer skin layer, the method including the steps of: forming a seam of the outer skin layer; and locating an elongated light conducting medium in the seam.

A side lighting optical fiber 1 having a core 2 containing a first light scattering agent 4, and a clad disposed generally concentric to the core and containing a second light scattering agent 5, such that light transmittance of the clad 3 at wave-length of 550 nm is in the range of 70-90%.

Side emitting glass elements are provided that include a plurality of light guiding elements, which are inseparably connected to one another at their outer circumferential surfaces, and at least one scattering element. The scattering element is inseparably connected to the outer circumferential surface of at least one light guiding element. The light guiding elements have at least one glass with a refractive index n1, wherein the individual light guiding elements are not enclosed by a cladding. A phase boundary is present between the light guiding elements through which the guided light can pass and to reach the scattering element.