Integration of side reflex and light pipe side marker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10160379-B2
Application number	US-201615395364-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2016
Priority date	Dec 30, 2016
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

A lighting device including a reflector having a plurality of reflex pins, a light pipe integrally connected to the reflector along the periphery of the reflector forming a neck between the light pipe and the reflector, wherein the light pipe and the reflector function independently, and a light source connected to the light pipe.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting device, comprising:
a reflector portion configured to reflect external light incident thereon;
a light pipe portion integrally connected to the reflector portion along a periphery of the reflector portion forming a neck between the light pipe portion and the reflector portion; and
a light source optically coupled to the light pipe portion, wherein said neck is dimensioned to minimize mixing of said external light and light from said light source.

2. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein said neck has a neck thickness in the range 2 mm to 3.5 mm.

3. The lighting device according to claim 2 , wherein said neck has a neck length in the range 1.75 mm to 10 mm.

4. The lighting device according to claim 3 , wherein a ratio of said neck thickness to said neck length is 1:3.

5. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein the reflector portion is configured to reflect of external light incident thereon.

6. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein the reflector portion includes a reflex pin with a first base angle and a first peak angle so an exterior light is reflected by the surface of the reflex pin without interfering with the light from the light pipe portion.

7. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein the light pipe portion comprises a light pipe and prisms.

8. The lighting device according to claim 7 , wherein the light pipe has an opening along a circumference of the light pipe to define said neck.

9. The lighting device according to claim 8 , wherein the opening in the light pipe is maintained in the range 1.75 mm to 3 mm.

10. The lighting device according to claim 8 , wherein the opening of the light pipe is seamlessly connected to said neck creating a channel between the light pipe portion and the reflector portion.

11. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein the lighting device is a side marker.

12. A vehicle fitted with a lighting device, comprising:
a reflector portion configured to reflect external light incident thereon;
a light pipe portion integrally connected to the reflector portion along a periphery of the reflector portion forming a neck between the light pipe portion and the reflector portion; and
a light source optically coupled to the light pipe portion, wherein said neck is dimensioned to minimize mixing of said external light and light from said light source.

13. The vehicle fitted with the lighting device according to claim 12 , wherein said neck has a neck thickness in the range 2 mm to 3.5 mm and a neck length in the range 1.75 mm to 10 mm.

14. The vehicle fitted with the lighting device according to claim 13 , wherein a ratio of said neck thickness to said neck length is 1:3.

15. The vehicle fitted with the lighting device according to claim 12 , wherein the reflector portion includes a reflex pin with a first base angle and a first peak angle so an exterior light is reflected by the surface of the reflex pin without interfering with the light from the light pipe portion.

16. The vehicle fitted with the lighting device according to claim 12 , wherein the light pipe portion comprises a light pipe and prisms.

17. The vehicle fitted with the lighting device according to claim 16 , wherein the light pipe has an opening along a circumference of the light pipe to define said neck.

18. The vehicle fitted with the lighting device according to claim 17 , wherein the opening in the light pipe is maintained in the range 1.75 mm to 3 mm.

19. The vehicle fitted with the lighting device according to claim 17 , wherein the opening of the light pipe is seamlessly connected to said neck creating a channel between the light pipe portion and the reflector portion.

20. The vehicle fitted with the lighting device according to claim 12 , wherein the lighting device is a side marker.

Assignees

• Valeo North America Inc

Inventors

• Gahimer Jeremy
• Maire Thomas
• Crespin Charles
• Haillant Pascal

Classifications

• B60Q1/32 Primary

  for indicating vehicle sides {, e.g. clearance lights} · CPC title

• G02B6/0096

  the lights guides being of the hollow type · CPC title

• F21S43/245

  emitting light from one or more of its major surfaces · CPC title

• F21S41/24

  Light guides · CPC title

• F21V7/00

  Reflectors for light sources (characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/505) · CPC title