Phosphorescent lighting assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9500333-B1
Application number	US-201514974469-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 18, 2015
Priority date	Dec 18, 2015
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

A vehicle lighting assembly is provided herein. The vehicle lighting assembly includes a housing including a lens and a bezel. A lamp is arranged to direct light through the lens. A phosphorescent structure is disposed on the lens. The phosphorescent structure is configured to emit light in response to an activation emission. A light source is configured to illuminate a portion of the bezel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle lighting assembly comprising:
a housing including a lens and a bezel;
a lamp arranged to direct light through the lens;
a phosphorescent indicia disposed on the lens, wherein the phosphorescent indicia is configured to emit light in response to an activation emission; and
a light source configured to illuminate a portion of the bezel.

2. The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lighting assembly is used as a headlamp and the housing comprises a bezel that surrounds the lens.

3. The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the phosphorescent indicia is translucent such that light emitted from the lamp is unimpeded by the phosphorescent indicia on the lens.

4. The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lamp is configured as a projector lamp.

5. The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the phosphorescent indicia is activated by ambient light illuminating an area proximate the housing.

6. The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the phosphorescent indicia is activated by the lamp.

7. The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 6 , wherein the phosphorescent indicia includes a long persistent phosphor material that is configured to emit light for more than 10 minutes after an activation emission is not present.

8. The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a light guide operably coupled with the light source to illuminate a portion of the bezel.

9. A vehicle headlamp assembly comprising:
a housing having a bezel and a lens;
a lamp arranged to direct light through the lens;
a printed LED configured to illuminate a portion of the housing; and
indicia formed from a phosphorescent structure disposed on the lens, wherein the phosphorescent structure is configured to luminesce in response to an activation emission supplied by the printed LED.

10. The vehicle headlamp assembly of claim 9 , wherein the phosphorescent structure comprises at least one photoluminescent material configured to down convert an inputted light received from at least a portion of the printed LED into a visible light that is outputted to a viewable portion.

11. A vehicle lighting assembly comprising:
a housing including a lens;
a bezel including a light source illuminable in a plurality of patterns based on a vehicular condition;
a lamp arranged to direct light through the lens at a first intensity; and
a phosphorescent structure disposed on the lens and configured to emit light in response to an activation emission at a second intensity, wherein the first intensity is greater than the second intensity.

12. The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 11 , wherein the light source, the lamp, and an ambient light may each charge a phosphorescent material within the phosphorescent structure.

13. The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 11 , wherein the light source comprises a plurality of printed LEDs.

14. The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a controller for controlling an activation state of the light source in response to at least one vehicle-related condition.

15. The vehicle lighting assembly of claim 11 , wherein the phosphorescent structure has a translucent white color in a non-activated state and emits blue light in an activated state.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• F21S41/141

  Light emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21S43/19

  Attachment of light sources or lamp holders · CPC title

• B60R13/005 Primary

  Manufacturers' emblems, name plates, bonnet ornaments, mascots or the like; Mounting means therefor · CPC title

• F21S43/245

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

• F21S43/145

  Surface emitters, e.g. organic light emitting diodes [OLED] · CPC title