Vehicle light assembly

• US 10,240,737 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2017
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Johnson, Aaron Bradley, Dellock, Paul Kenneth, Helwig, Stephen Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Bowman, Mary Ellen
• Application Number:
  US15/450,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20180252384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/125 Coloured light
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/162 Incandescent light sources, e.g. filament or halogen lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/25 Projection lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/30 characterised by reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/40 characterised by screens, non-reflecting members, light-shielding members or fixed shades
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/435 Hoods or cap-shaped

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.

Claims

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.