Embodiments described herein relate to a connector for a dielectric waveguide. In accordance with one embodiment, the connector includes a connector housing that forms a receptacle operably receiving the dielectric waveguide through an opening in the housing. Furthermore, the connector includes an antenna coupled to the connector housing and electromagnetically coupled to the dielectric waveguide when inserted in the opening of the connector housing.

An illumination device that includes an elongated light pipe and attachment wings integrally formed on the sides of the light pipe so that the illumination device can be easily, yet securely, installed within a containment channel, such as those found on the underside of a vehicle step rail. The elongated light pipe is made of an optically transmissive material, the attachment wings are made of a different resilient material, and the overall device is a single extruded component that has a co-extrusion boundary separating the two materials. The illumination device illuminates the ground, for example, when passengers are entering or exiting the vehicle.

A window for a motor vehicle includes an inner glass pane, an outer glass pane, and a first display module having a first light source, a first light guide disposed between the inner glass pane and the outer glass pane and configured to receive light from the first light source, a second light source, and a second light guide disposed between the inner glass pane and the outer glass pane and configured to receive light from the second light source. When the first light source is activated a first signal is displayed through the first light guide, when the second light source is activated a second signal is displayed through the second light guide, and when the first light source and the second light source are activated a third signal is displayed through the first light guide and the second light guide.

A resin composition is provided which has high transparency, light guiding properties and luminescent properties and can guide light therethrough with little change in chromaticity. A shaped article such as an optical element including the resin composition is also provided. The resin composition includes an acrylic block copolymer (A) and a light diffusing agent (B), wherein the acrylic block copolymer (A) has at least one structure in which polymer blocks (a1) based on methacrylic acid ester units are bonded to both ends of a polymer block (a2) based on acrylic acid ester units, and has a weight average molecular weight of 10,000 to 150,000 and a tensile elastic modulus of 1 to 1,500 MPa, the light diffusing agent (B) is rutile titanium oxide having an average particle size of 0.5 to 2.0 m, and the content of the light diffusing agent (B) is 0.5 to 10 ppm (on mass basis) based on the acrylic block copolymer (A).

A resin composition is provided which has high transparency, light guiding properties and luminescent properties and can guide light therethrough with little change in chromaticity. A shaped article such as an optical element including the resin composition is also provided. The resin composition includes an acrylic block copolymer (A) and a light diffusing agent (B), wherein the acrylic block copolymer (A) has at least one structure in which polymer blocks (a1) based on methacrylic acid ester units are bonded to both ends of a polymer block (a2) based on acrylic acid ester units, and has a weight average molecular weight of 10,000 to 150,000 and a tensile elastic modulus of 1 to 1,500 MPa, the light diffusing agent (B) is rutile titanium oxide having an average particle size of 0.5 to 2.0 m, and the content of the light diffusing agent (B) is 0.5 to 10 ppm (on mass basis) based on the acrylic block copolymer (A).

The invention provides an acrylic block copolymer which has excellent transparency, profile extrusion properties and surface smoothness of shaped articles, and which is also excellent in light guiding properties. The acrylic block copolymer includes a polymer block (a1) predominantly containing methacrylic acid ester units and a polymer block (a2) predominantly containing acrylic acid ester units, and has a refractive index of 1.485 to 1.495 and an order-disorder transition temperature (ODTT) of not more than 260 C.

The invention provides an acrylic block copolymer which has excellent transparency, profile extrusion properties and surface smoothness of shaped articles, and which is also excellent in light guiding properties. The acrylic block copolymer includes a polymer block (a1) predominantly containing methacrylic acid ester units and a polymer block (a2) predominantly containing acrylic acid ester units, and has a refractive index of 1.485 to 1.495 and an order-disorder transition temperature (ODTT) of not more than 260 C.

Provided is a polymer composition, wherein the polymer composition has a refractive index difference (BA) of 0.04 or greater but 0.1 or less between a minimum refractive index A of the polymer composition in a temperature range of 5 degrees C. or higher but lower than 30 degrees C. and a maximum refractive index B of the polymer composition in a temperature range of 30 degrees C. or higher but lower than 50 degrees C.

A method of preparing an optical connector located within a gap between a first optical assembly and a second optical assembly is provided. The optical connector includes a contrast layer having at least one cured bridge portion and at least one uncured portion formed from a first composition having a first refractive index (RI.sup.1). The method comprises applying a second composition having a second refractive index (RI.sup.2) on the contrast layer to form a second layer and mixing at least a portion of the second layer with the at least one uncured portion of the contrast layer to form at least one intermixed portion having a third refractive index (RI.sup.3), wherein R|.sup.1>R|.sup.3>RI.sup.2, and then curing the intermixed portion and optional second layer such that each one of the at least one cured bridge portions is surrounded by an intermixed portion and optional second layer.

A method of preparing an optical connector located within a gap between a first optical assembly and a second optical assembly is provided. The optical connector includes a contrast layer having at least one cured bridge portion and at least one uncured portion formed from a first composition having a first refractive index (RI.sup.1). The method comprises applying a second composition having a second refractive index (RI.sup.2) on the contrast layer to form a second layer and mixing at least a portion of the second layer with the at least one uncured portion of the contrast layer to form at least one intermixed portion having a third refractive index (RI.sup.3), wherein R|.sup.1>R|.sup.3>RI.sup.2, and then curing the intermixed portion and optional second layer such that each one of the at least one cured bridge portions is surrounded by an intermixed portion and optional second layer.