LIGHT ASSEMBLY, VEHICLE DESIGN ELEMENT, REAR VIEW DEVICE AND DOOR FINISHER

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a system comprising a light assembly for a 360° illumination of a design element, in particular configured for a vehicle design element, comprising: one or more light pipes, wherein each light pipe comprises a core, and two or more light pipes and/or two end portions of one light pipe at least partially overlap, providing at least one region of overlap to substantially close a loop; one or more light sources, disposed at least partially within an interior of the system, wherein each light source is configured to emit light based on at least receiving electrical power from an electrical power source, and each light source is arranged adjacent to and directed towards at least one of the one or more light pipes such that the emitted light results in reflected light propagating within the core and diffuse light exiting the one or more light pipes along the same; and a lens substantially enclosing the interior, the one or more light pipes and the one or more light sources, wherein the lens, having an inner surface and an outer surface disposed opposite the inner surface, is provided with a continuous transparent and/or translucent coating on the outer surface, and with the one or more light sources receiving electrical power from the electrical power source, the continuous transparent and/or translucent coating is at least partially permeable to at least some of the diffuse light which is passed through the lens; wherein the continuous transparent and/or translucent coating depends on at least one characteristic of the one or more light pipes and/or the one or more light sources, and/or the transparent and/or translucent coating comprises a metal, an alloy or a conductive metalloid, preferably providing a chromium or chromium-based reflective coating, to provide a homogenous illumination of a 360° illumination window when the one or more light sources receive electrical power from the electrical power source.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18. A system comprising a light assembly for a 360° illumination of a design element, configured for a vehicle design element, comprising: one or more light pipes, wherein each light pipe comprises a core; one or more light sources, disposed at least partially within an interior of the system, wherein, each light source is configured to emit light based on at least receiving electrical power from an electrical power source, and each light source is arranged adjacent to and directed towards at least one of the one or more light pipes such that the emitted light results in reflected light propagating within the core and diffuse light exiting the one or more light pipes along the same; and a lens substantially enclosing the interior, the one or more light pipes and the one or more light sources, wherein the lens, having an inner surface and an outer surface disposed opposite the inner surface, is provided with a continuous transparent and/or translucent coating on the outer surface, and the one or more light sources receiving electrical power from the electrical power source, the continuous transparent and/or translucent coating is at least partially permeable to at least some of the diffuse light which is passed through the lens; wherein the continuous transparent and/or translucent coating depends on at least one characteristic of the one or more light pipes or the one or more light sources, and the transparent and/or translucent coating comprises a metal, an alloy or a conductive metalloid, providing a chromium or chromium-based reflective coating, and wherein two or more light pipes or two end portions of one light pipe are provided to at least partially overlap, providing at least one region of overlap to substantially close a loop, to provide a homogenous illumination of at least one 360° illumination window when the one or more light sources receive electrical power from the electrical power source.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a cladding, optics, a plurality of screen printed dots, a paint or a further coating on the one or more light pipes for providing a diffuse, homogenous light output from the one or more light pipes, wherein the continuous transparent and/or translucent coating preferably depends on the cladding, the optics, the screen printed dots, the paint, or the further coating.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein each light pipe comprises a cladding surrounding its core such that the emitted light is at least partly reflected by the cladding to propagate within the core, with the cladding being made from a material selected from the group consisting a fluoropolymer, fluorocarbon polymer and substituted polymer, and wherein the cladding has a different refractive index compared to the core of each light pipe.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein each light pipe is flexible and cylindrical.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the light from the one or more light sources is output from the one or more light pipes with a substantially uniform luminance, and the light from the one or more light pipes is color stable.

23. . The system of claim 18, further comprising: at least one mask providing the illumination window, with the mask being located between the one or more light pipes and the lens and provided by the continuous transparent and/or translucent coating.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the at least one mask provides the illumination window with varying transmission levels, with the window being less transmissive in each region of overlap for providing the homogenous illumination of the illumination window.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the width of the illumination window and mask is not greater than the width of each light pipe, and the illumination window has an at least partly circular and/or oval shape.

26. The system of claim 18, further comprising at least one gasket located at the inner part of the system, between the one or more light pipes and the at least one mask.

27. The system of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of small contact areas provided between the one or more light pipes and the coating, a reflector and/or the at least one mask in order to contain light within the core of the one or more light pipes, with the continuous transparent and/or translucent coating depending on plurality of small contact areas.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the plurality of small contact areas is formed by applying a velvet film, by providing a velvet surface finish, or by grain or sand blast of molded or casted parts, the at least one mask, the one or more light pipes, or the at least one reflector.

29. The system of claim 27, further comprising: at least one mask providing the illumination window, with the mask being located between the one or more light pipes and the lens and provided by the continuous transparent and/or translucent coating, wherein the plurality of small contact areas is applied on the mask.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the one or more light sources comprise at least one of an incandescent light source, a light-emitting diode (LEDs), an organic light-emitting diodes (OLED), or a LASER diode, and the one or more light sources or each light source is located on a circuit board.

31. The system of claim 18, wherein, the at least one characteristic of the one or more light pipes is determined by the amount of light pipes, the amount of regions of overlap, the location of each region of overlap, shape and/or dimensions of each region of overlap, or the shape or dimensions of each light pipe, and the at least one characteristic of the one or more light sources determined by the amount of light sources, the type of each light source, or the location or orientation of each light source.

32. A vehicle design element comprising the system of claim 18

33. A rear view device of a vehicle comprising the system of claim 18.

34. A door finisher for automotive doors comprising the system of claim 18.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0068] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

[0069] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a system including an assembly according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0070] FIG. 2a is a schematic top view of a part of a light assembly with one light source and one light guide;

[0071] FIG. 2b is a perspective view of a sub-assembly with the light assembly of FIG. 2a; and

[0072] FIG. 2c is a front view of a part of a system according to a further embodiment of this disclosure making usage of the sub-assembly shown in FIG. 2b.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0073] Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a simplified schematic assembly of a system 10 of this disclosure, with light pipes 1 and light sources 2. In detail, the system 10 has two overlapped light pipes 1a and 1b and three light sources 2a, 2b, 2c. The light pipes 1 are covered by a cladding layer (not shown) to improve reflectivity and thus ensure a consistent and even light output. A lens with a coating is also not shown, and the lens comprises a transparent and/or translucent metal layer which, in use, is translucent. The light sources 2 are each switchable between an on state in which the light is visible on the front surface of the lens and an off state in which no light is visible on the front surface front surface of the lens.

[0074] As can be seen from FIG. 1, there is a first overlap between the light pipes 1a and 1b near the light source 2a and a second overlap between the light pipes 1a and 1b near the light source 2b. In fact, light is inputted into the two ends of the light pipe 1a via the light sources 2a and 2c, whereas only one end of the light guide 1b is receiving light from the light source 2b. All three light sources 2a, 2b, 2c are connected to a printed circuit board 3.

[0075] With this arrangement of the two light pipes 1a, 1b overlapping such that a loop is provided and three light sources 2a, 2b, 2c emitting light into said overlapping light pipes 1a, 1b, together with the cladding, the lens and the coating, an homogenous constant 360° illumination is achieved.

[0076] FIGS. 2a to 2c depicts a further system 10′ according to this disclosure, which makes usage of a single light pipe 1′ which is flexible and cylindrical. Said single light pipe 1′ comprises a core 11′ surrounded by a cladding 12′ as best seen in FIG. 2a. A light source 2′ emits light 20′ into the light pipe 1, with said emitted light 20′ being split into light 21′ reflected by the cladding 12′ and diffuse light 22′ exiting the light pipe 1′.

[0077] The two ends of the light pipe 1′ do overlap in order to form a closed loop, which for example can be in form of a circle or oval, with the one light source 2′ being sufficient to provide the required diffuse light 22′. As can be seen in FIG. 2b, the light source 2′ is connected to a printed circuit board 3′.

[0078] The assembly described with respect to FIGS. 2a and b is completed by arranging a mask 4′ around the light pipe 1′ and arranging a lens 5′ along the circumference of the arrangement, see FIG. 2c. The mask 4′ is providing an illumination window 41′. The lens 5′ is provided with a not shown chromium-based reflective coating.

[0079] The illumination window 41′ of the mask 4′ is no greater in width than the light pipe 1′. The mask 4′ is applied over the light pipes so that the light is visible through the mask illumination window 41′. The mask window 41′ has varying transmission levels such that it is less transmissive at the light pipe overlap so the brighter light emission at the light pipe overlap is absorbed more than at other areas of the 360° illumination window 41′. Hence the viewer of the 360° illumination sees a homogenous luminance level of light.

[0080] The geometry of the light pipe 1′, the overlap of the two ends of the light pipe 1′, the cladding 12′ of the light pipe 1′, the arrangement of the light source 2′ in front of one of the ends of the light pipe 1′, the mask 4′, the lens 5′ and the coating on the lens 5′ co-operate such that light exits the illumination window 41′ in a homogenous manner and provides a circular or oval 360° illumination.

[0081] The illumination window 41′ can be used to provide a frame around a not shown display or the like within a vehicle.

[0082] Throughout the specification and the claims that follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the words “comprise” and “include” and variations such as “comprising” and “including” will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers, but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

[0083] The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement of any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

[0084] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the disclosure is not restricted in its use to the particular application described. Neither is the present disclosure restricted in its preferred embodiment with regard to the particular elements and/or features described or depicted herein. It will be appreciated that the disclosure is not limited to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the scope of the disclosure as set forth and defined by the following claims.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0085] 1, 1a, 1b, 1′ light pipe [0086] 2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2′ light source [0087] 3, 3′ printed circuit board [0088] 4′ mask [0089] 5′ lens [0090] 10, 10′ system with light assembly [0091] 11′ core [0092] 12′ cladding [0093] 20′ emitted light [0094] 21′ reflected light [0095] 22′ diffuse light [0096] 41′ illumination window