Vehicle illumination systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12485950-B2
Application number	US-202418921764-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2024
Priority date	Mar 8, 2018
Publication date	Dec 2, 2025
Grant date	Dec 2, 2025

Abstract

Various implementations of an illumination system include a light guide, a housing having a ceiling and defining a window, and a base coupled to the housing. The light guide is supported between the base and the ceiling. At least one light source is disposed adjacent a first end of the light guide. The light guide transmits the light from the light source through at least a portion of the outer surface of the light guide and the window. One or more tabs extending from the base each define at least one opening, and the at least one opening defined by each tab is alignable with an opening in a spoke portion of a frame. The openings receive a fastener to couple the base to the spoke portion. The housing may be integrally formed with a trim cover coupled to the frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An illumination system for a steering assembly of a vehicle, the illumination system comprising:
a segmented display having an outer surface and an inner surface that extend between a first end and a second end of the segmented display; a light guide having an outer surface and an inner surface that extend between a first end and a second end of the light guide, the outer surface of the light guide being disposed adjacent the inner surface of the segmented display; an outer lens, the outer lens being disposed adjacent the outer surface of the segmented display, wherein the outer lens comprises at least two graphic patterns on a surface thereof; and at least one light source disposed adjacent the first end of the light guide, the at least one light source for emitting visible light into the first end of the light guide; wherein:
the light guide transmits light from the at least one light source through at least a portion of the outer surface of the light guide toward the inner surface of the segmented display, and
the segmented display comprises two or more segments, each segment being separately activatable for allowing passage of light from the inner surface of the segmented display through any activated segments of the segmented display and preventing passage of light through any non-activated segments of the segmented display, each segment of the segmented display being adjacent a respective graphic pattern to be illuminated.

2 . The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the segmented display is a liquid crystal display (LCD).

3 . The illumination system of claim 2 , wherein the LCD is an improved black nematic (IBN) display.

4 . The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light source is a light emitting diode (LED).

5 . The illumination system of claim 4 , wherein:
the at least one light source comprises a first LED emitting white light and a second LED emitting white light, wherein the first LED is disposed adjacent the first end and the second LED is disposed adjacent the second end, the segments of the segmented display comprise a first filter segment that filters transmission of light wavelengths except for a first color and a second filter segment that filters transmission of light wavelengths except for a second color.

6 . The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the segmented display is a liquid crystal display (LCD),
the illumination system further comprising a computer processor for electrically communicating with a driver of the LCD, the computer processor being disposed on a rotatable portion of a steering wheel of the steering assembly.

7 . The illumination system of claim 6 , wherein the computer processor is disposed adjacent the LCD.

8 . The illumination system of claim 6 , wherein the driver of the LCD is disposed on the LCD in a chip-on-glass configuration.

9 . The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein a steering wheel of the steering assembly comprises a frame comprising a thermally conductive material, and the at least one light source is thermally coupled to the frame such that heat is transferred away from the at least one light source toward the frame.

10 . The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the inner surface of the light guide comprises a plurality of micro-lenses configured for guiding light to exit from the outer surface of the light guide.

11 . The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the segmented display is a liquid crystal display (LCD),
wherein the outer lens comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface being disposed adjacent the outer surface of the LCD, and wherein the at least two graphic patterns are disposed on the outer surface of the outer lens.

12 . The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein:
the segmented display is a liquid crystal display (LCD), the outer and inner surfaces of the LCD are arcuate-shaped between the ends and spaced apart from and opposite each other relative to a plane that extends through the first and second ends of the LCD and is parallel to the outer and inner surfaces, the outer and inner surfaces of the light guide are arcuate-shaped between the ends of the light guide and spaced apart and opposite each other relative to a plane that extends through the first and second ends of the light guide and is parallel to the outer and inner surfaces of the light guide, and the outer lens comprises outer and inner surfaces and first and second ends, the outer and inner surfaces of the outer lens are arcuate-shaped between the ends of the outer lens and spaced apart and opposite each other relative to a plane that extends through the first and second ends of the outer lens and is parallel to the outer and inner surfaces of the outer lens.

13 . The illumination system of claim 12 , wherein:
the inner and outer surfaces of the LCD and light guide have a radius of curvature that is similar to a radius of curvature of an arcuate shaped portion of a frame of a steering wheel of the steering assembly, and the LCD and light guide are coupled to the arcuate shaped portion of the frame such that the inner and outer surfaces of the LCD and light guide follow the arcuate shaped portion of the frame.

14 . The illumination system of claim 13 , wherein the LCD and light guide are disposed within an arcuate shaped tray, and the arcuate shaped tray is coupled to the arcuate shaped portion of the frame.

15 . The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light source comprises a visible light multi-color LED.

16 . The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light source comprises a visible light single color LED.

17 . The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the at least two graphic patterns are defined by at least one film disposed on the outer lens.

18 . The illumination system of claim 17 , wherein the at least one film is disposed on the outer surface of the outer lens.

19 . The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the at least two graphic patterns are defined by etching on the outer surface of the outer lens.

20 . The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the at least two graphic patterns are transparent or translucent and the outer lens adjacent the at least two graphic patterns is opaque.

Assignees

• Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition Llc

Inventors

• Lisseman Jason
• Marc Adorian
• Staszak Erick
• Gardner Valerie

Classifications

• B60Q3/70

  characterised by the purpose · CPC title

• B60Q3/62

  using light guides · CPC title

• B60Q3/80

  Circuits; Control arrangements (for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47) · CPC title

• B60Q3/283

  Steering wheels; Gear levers · CPC title

• B62D1/046

  Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches · CPC title