Housing for coupling of light from a light source to an optical light guide

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11327238-B2
Application number	US-202017073474-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2020
Priority date	Oct 23, 2019
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A housing for enabling coupling of light from a light source to an optical light guide. The housing allows for the optical light guide to rotate about its axis with respect to the housing and a light source while at the same time maintaining the optical coupling with the light source. Accordingly, it is desirable to couple light from a light source to an optical light guide, where the optical light guide is freely rotatable about its axis. This is obtained by a locking mechanism of the housing where the light source is arrangeable. The locking mechanism includes a circumferential structure adapted to receive at least one radial locking member of the optical light guide. The circumferential structure is configured such that the optical light guide is rotatable about its axis in the locking mechanism while maintaining a spatial relationship between the end portion of the optical light guide and the light source.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A housing for enabling coupling of light from a light source to an optical light guide, the housing comprising:
a locking mechanism for maintaining an end portion of the optical light guide in the vicinity of the light source when the light source is mounted in a mounting location in the housing such that light emitted by the light source is coupled into the end portion of the optical light guide,
wherein the locking mechanism includes a circumferential structure formed in the housing and extending around an entire inner circumference of the locking mechanism and adapted to receive at least one radial locking member of the optical light guide, the circumferential structure adapted such that the at least one radial locking member can travel freely in the circumferential structure when the optical light guide is rotated about its axis such that the optical light guide is rotatable about its axis in the locking mechanism while maintaining a spatial relationship between the end portion of the optical light guide and the light source.

2. The housing according to claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a first portion and a second portion,
wherein the first portion is fixed in the housing and includes a first circumferential structure portion, and the second portion is rotatable with respect to the first portion and includes a second circumferential structure portion, and
wherein in a first rotational orientation of the second portion, the first and second circumferential structure portions are displaced from each other to allow for removal of the optical light guide, and in a second rotational orientation of the second portion, the first and second circumferential structure portions are adapted to engage with the radial locking members of the optical light guide.

3. The housing according to claim 2 , wherein the second portion of the locking mechanism is rotatable with respect to the first portion of the locking mechanism by a hinge connection between the first portion and the second portion.

4. The housing according to claim 2 , wherein the second portion of the locking mechanism is rotatable about a rotation axis substantially perpendicular to a plane of the circumferential structure.

5. The housing according to claim 2 , wherein the second portion of the locking mechanism is adapted to be locked in place in the second rotational orientation.

6. The housing according to claim 5 , wherein the second portion of the locking mechanism includes a locking member adapted to be snap-fitted with a respective locking member on a body of the housing.

7. The housing according to claim 1 , wherein the circumferential structure is adapted to allow for the at least one radial locking member to travel along a path of the circumferential structure.

8. The housing according to claim 1 , wherein the circumferential structure includes a trench adapted to receive the radial locking members of the optical light guide.

9. The housing according to claim 1 , comprising a lid portion rotatable with respect to a body of the housing, wherein in a first rotational orientation of the lid portion a light source is mountable through an opening in the body of the housing, and in a second rotational orientation of the lid portion the opening is closed.

10. The housing according to claim 9 , wherein the lid portion is rotatable with respect the body of the housing by a hinge connection between the lid portion and the body of the housing.

11. The housing according to claim 9 , wherein the lid portion includes a locking member adapted to be snapped fitted with a respective locking member on the body of the housing in the second rotational orientation of the lid portion.

12. The housing according to claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is adapted to enclose the entire circumference of the optical light guide.

13. The housing according to claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is adapted to lock the optical light guide in place in a plane of the circumferential structure.

14. The housing according to claim 1 , wherein the housing is adapted to enclose the light source and the end portion of the optical light guide.

15. The housing according to claim 1 , wherein the circumferential locking mechanism includes arch-shaped portions.

16. The housing according to claim 1 , wherein the circumferential locking mechanism is circular.

17. The housing according to claim 1 , wherein the light source is a light emitting diode.

18. An optical assembly including the housing according to claim 1 , a light source, and an optical light guide.

19. A vehicle comprising the optical assembly according to claim 18 .

Assignees

• Volvo Car Corp

Inventors

• Langner Stefan
• Lennartsson Anders
• Andersson Markus
• Johannesson Mattias

Classifications

• G02B6/4256

  Details of housings · CPC title

• G02B6/262

  Optical details of coupling light into, or out of, or between fibre ends, e.g. special fibre end shapes or associated optical elements · CPC title

• G02B6/4298

  coupling with non-coherent light sources and/or radiation detectors, e.g. lamps, incandescent bulbs, scintillation chambers · CPC title

• G02B6/3604 Primary

  Rotary joints allowing relative rotational movement between opposing fibre or fibre bundle ends · CPC title

• G02B6/26 Primary

  Optical coupling means (G02B6/36, G02B6/42 take precedence) · CPC title