Vehicle light assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10240737-B2
Application number	US-201715450613-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2017
Priority date	Mar 6, 2017
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

A light assembly for a vehicle is provided herein. The light assembly includes a housing and a lens. A light source is disposed between the housing and lens. A bulb shield is disposed between the light source and the lens. A peripheral portion of the bulb shield has a first optical transmittance and a central region of the bulb shield has a second optical transmittance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A light assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
a housing and a lens;
a light source disposed between the housing and lens; and
a bulb shield mounted to the housing by a support structure and disposed in a spaced relationship between the light source and the lens, wherein a peripheral portion of the bulb shield has a first optical transmittance and a central region of the bulb shield has a second optical transmittance.

2. The light assembly for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first optical transmittance may be lower than the second optical transmittance.

3. The light assembly for a vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a luminescent structure disposed on the bulb shield configured to luminesce in response to receiving light from the light source.

4. The light assembly for a vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the support structure is light transmissive and integrally formed with the bulb shield, and wherein the support structure extends from a concave surface of the housing into a space defined by the housing and the lens.

5. The light assembly for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the light source is operably coupled with a reflector and the bulb shield to prevent some light from the light source from unimpeded exit through the lens.

6. The light assembly for a vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the luminescent structure includes a plurality of quantum dots.

7. The light assembly for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral portion includes a first luminescent material and the central region includes a second luminescent material, the first and second luminescent materials configured to luminesce in varied wavelengths of converted light.

8. A light assembly, comprising:
a housing and a lens;
a light source disposed between the housing and lens;
a bulb shield disposed proximately to the light source and in a spaced relationship between the light source and the lens, wherein the bulb shield is light transmissive; and
a luminescent structure disposed on the bulb shield configured to luminesce in response to receiving light from the light source.

9. The light assembly of claim 8 , wherein a peripheral portion of the bulb shield has a first optical transmittance and a central region of the bulb shield has a second optical transmittance.

10. The light assembly of claim 9 , further comprising:
a light transmissive support structure integrally formed with the bulb shield.

11. The light assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first optical transmittance may be lower than the second optical transmittance.

12. The light assembly of claim 8 , wherein the light source is operably coupled with a reflector and the bulb shield to prevent some light from the light source from unimpeded exit through the lens.

13. The light assembly of claim 9 , wherein the luminescent structure includes a plurality of quantum dots.

14. The light assembly of claim 13 , wherein the peripheral portion includes a first luminescent material and the central region includes a second luminescent material, the first and second luminescent materials configured to luminesce in varied wavelengths of converted light.

15. A light assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
a housing and a lens;
a light source disposed between the housing and lens;
a bulb shield disposed in a spaced relationship between the light source and the lens such that the bulb shield and the light source define a first gap and the bulb shield and the lens define a second gap, wherein the bulb shield is light transmissive; and
a light transmissive support structure integrally formed with the bulb shield.

16. The light assembly for a vehicle of claim 15 , wherein a peripheral portion of the bulb shield has a first optical transmittance and a central region of the bulb shield has a second optical transmittance.

17. The light assembly for a vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the lens is formed from a material containing silicone.

18. The light assembly for a vehicle of claim 15 , further comprising:
a luminescent structure disposed on the bulb shield configured to luminesce in response to receiving light from the light source.

19. The light assembly for a vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the first optical transmittance may be lower than the second optical transmittance.

20. The light assembly for a vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the luminescent structure comprises at least one luminescent material configured to convert an excitation light into a visible light.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Salter Stuart C
• Johnson Aaron Bradley
• Dellock Paul Kenneth
• Helwig Stephen Kenneth

Classifications

• F21S41/162

  Incandescent light sources, e.g. filament or halogen lamps · CPC title

• F21S41/30

  characterised by reflectors · CPC title

• F21S41/40

  characterised by screens, non-reflecting members, light-shielding members or fixed shades · CPC title

• F21S41/435

  Hoods or cap-shaped · CPC title

• F21S41/25

  Projection lenses · CPC title