Extruded light pipe carrier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9254785-B2
Application number	US-201313908416-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2013
Priority date	Feb 14, 2013
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

A lighting apparatus for a vehicle includes a light source and a light pipe. The light pipe has a first end coupled with the light source, a second end, and a side surface extending between the first and second ends for radially emitting light. A carrier surrounds the side surface and includes an opaque portion and a translucent portion. The opaque portion abuts the side surface for preventing light from emitting beyond the side surface. The translucent portion extends adjacent to the opaque portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle lighting apparatus, comprising:
a light source;
a light pipe having a first end coupled with the light source, a second end, and a side surface extending between the first and second ends for radially emitting light;
a carrier surrounding the side surface and comprising:
an opaque portion abutting the side surface for preventing light from emitting beyond the side surface wherein the opaque portion includes a flange protruding from the carrier for engaging a vehicle; and
a translucent portion adjacent to the opaque portion; and

a clip extending from an interior surface of the vehicle that couples with the flange to retain the light pipe, wherein the flange includes a first lip and a second lip that protrude laterally from opposing sides of the opaque portion for operably engaging the clip.

2. The lighting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light pipe includes an optical fiber, and wherein the translucent portion of the carrier transmits light from the side surface of the light pipe for lighting a vehicle interior.

3. The lighting apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a clip coupled with the opaque portion of the carrier for retaining the light pipe to a surface of a vehicle.

4. The lighting apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the opaque portion wraps circumferentially over at least a third of the side surface of the light pipe.

5. The lighting apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of retention clips between a first interior trim panel and a second interior trim panel of the vehicle, wherein the plurality of retention clips are coupled with the opaque portion at spaced locations along a longitudinal extent of the carrier.

6. The lighting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the translucent portion comprises a first elastomer having translucent properties and the opaque portion comprises a second elastomer having opaque properties.

7. A vehicle lighting apparatus comprising:
an optical fiber having a side surface for emitting light;
an elastomeric carrier comprising:
an opaque portion extending along a first circumferential segment of the side surface and having a laterally protruding flange; and

a clip inside the vehicle that couples with and second lips of the flange, the lips protruding laterally from opposing sides of the opaque portion thereby securing the optical fiber inside the vehicle.

8. The vehicle lighting apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:
a retainer extending from the vehicle surface to couple with the flange, wherein the flange includes a first lip and a second lip that protrude laterally from opposing sides of the opaque portion for operably engaging the clip.

9. The vehicle lighting apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the elastomeric carrier surrounds the side surface and further comprises a translucent portion adjacent to the opaque portion, and wherein the translucent portion comprises a first elastomer having translucent properties and the opaque portion comprises a second elastomer having opaque properties.

10. The vehicle lighting apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the elastomeric carrier further comprises a translucent portion longitudinally extending along a second circumferential segment of the side surface adjacent to the opaque portion.

11. The vehicle lighting apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first and second circumferential segments surround the side surface of the optical fiber, and the first circumferential segment is larger than the second circumferential segment.

12. The vehicle lighting apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the optical fiber is capable of flexing to a curved orientation, and wherein the elastomeric carrier comprises a polyurethane material that is substantially resilient to accommodate the curved orientation of the optical fiber.

13. The vehicle lighting apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the optical fiber has a substantially circular cross section, and wherein the opaque portion substantially conceals more than a third of the side surface of the optical fiber.

14. A method of forming a lighting apparatus comprising:
providing a light pipe having a first end, a second end, and a side surface there between for emitting light received from at least one of the first and second ends;
extruding a carrier on the side surface, wherein the carrier includes a translucent portion and an opaque portion that are co-extruded adjacent each other around the side surface of the light pipe wherein the opaque portion includes a flange protruding from the carrier for engaging a vehicle; and
attaching a clip extending from an interior surface of the vehicle that couples with the flange to retain the light pipe, wherein the flange includes a first lip and a second lip that protrude laterally from opposing sides of the opaque portion for operably engaging the clip.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
engaging the opaque portion of the carrier to a clip that is coupled with an interior surface of a vehicle, wherein the opaque portion prevents light from emitting toward the interior surface.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
coupling the first end of the light pipe with a light source on a vehicle, wherein the translucent portion of the carrier is positioned to emit light from the light source to a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the light pipe includes an optical fiber that has a substantially circular cross section, and wherein the opaque portion substantially conceals more than a third of the circumferential side surface of the optical fiber.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the translucent portion comprises a first elastomeric material having translucent properties and the opaque portion comprises a second elastomeric material having opaque properties, and wherein the first and second elastomeric materials are co-extruded around the side surface to integrally form the carrier.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Sohizad Ben
• Ammar Ali

Classifications

• F21V21/088 Primary

  Clips; Clamps · CPC title

• B60Q3/0289

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60Q3/002 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60Q3/0216

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title