Automotive lighting assembly with decreased operating temperature

• US 20030007357A1
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Published: 01/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RV Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: RV Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Veldman, Roger L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,093,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/296
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/258 Rear-view mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/24 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/28 characterised by coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/04 for filtering out infrared radiation dichroic reflectors F21V7/22; using liquid-filled chambers F21V9/12

Abstract

A lighting assembly for an interior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes an illumination source, a reflective element and a lens. The illumination source is operable to radiate radiation including visible radiation and infrared radiation. The radiation from the illumination source impinges on the reflective element. The reflective element reflects reflected radiation toward the lens. The reflective element is adapted to at least partially transmit the infrared radiation so that reduced reflection of the infrared radiation occurs toward the lens. The lens may include an optical element which functions to substantially transmit the visible radiation through the optical element and the lens while at least partially reflecting the infrared radiation generally away from the lens.

Claims

1. A lighting assembly for a vehicle, said lighting assembly comprising:

an illumination source which is operable to radiate radiation including visible radiation and infrared radiation;

a reflective element at least partially surrounding said illumination source, said radiation from said illumination source impinging on said reflective element; and

a lens, said reflective element reflecting reflected radiation toward said lens, said reflective element being adapted to at least partially transmit said infrared radiation so that reduced reflection of said infrared radiation occurs toward said lens.

2. The lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein said reflective element comprises a substrate which at least partially transmits infrared radiation of spectral content of greater than approximately 800 nanometers.

3. The lighting assembly of claim 2, wherein said reflective element is adapted to reflect at least approximately 45 percent of said visible radiation within a range of approximately 300 to 750 nanometers toward said lens.

4. The lighting assembly of claim 2, wherein said reflective element is adapted to reflect at least approximately 55 percent of said visible radiation within a range of approximately 300 to 750 nanometers toward said lens.

5. The lighting assembly of claim 2, wherein said reflective element is adapted to reflect at least approximately 65 percent of said visible radiation within a range of approximately 300 to 750 nanometers toward said lens.

6. The lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein said illumination source comprises at least one of an incandescent bulb and a light emitting diode.

7. The lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein said illumination source comprises an incandescent bulb.

8. The lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein said lens includes an optical element which at least partially reflects said infrared radiation generally away from said lens.

9. The lighting assembly of claim 8, wherein said optical element substantially transmits said visible radiation through said optical element and said lens while at least partially reflecting said infrared radiation generally away from said lens.

10. The lighting assembly of claim 8, wherein said optical element comprises a coating on a surface of said lens facing said illumination source and said reflective element.

11. The lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein said lighting assembly is adapted for an interior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle.

13. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein said reflective element comprises a substrate which at least partially transmits infrared radiation of spectral content of greater than approximately 800 nanometers.

14. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 13, wherein said reflective element is adapted to reflect at least approximately 45 percent of said visible radiation within a range of approximately 300 to 750 nanometers.

15. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 13, wherein said reflective element is adapted to reflect at least approximately 55 percent of said visible radiation within a range of approximately 300 to 750 nanometers.

16. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 13, wherein said reflective element is adapted to reflect at least approximately 65 percent of said visible radiation within a range of approximately 300 to 750 nanometers.

17. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein said illumination source comprises at least one of an incandescent bulb and a light emitting diode.

18. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein said illumination source comprises an incandescent bulb.

19. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein said lens includes an optical element which at least partially reflects said infrared radiation generally away from said lens.

20. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 19, wherein said optical element substantially transmits said visible radiation through said optical element and said lens while at least partially reflecting said infrared radiation generally away from said lens.

21. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 19, wherein said optical element comprises a coating on a surface of said lens facing said illumination source and said reflective element.

22. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein said reflective element is adapted to at least partially transmit said infrared radiation to an area remote from said lighting assembly.

23. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 22, wherein said casing includes a vent area for venting heat from said at least partially transmitted infrared radiation.

24. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein said mirror reflector comprises an electrochromic mirror reflector.

25. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein said mirror reflector comprises a prismatic mirror reflector.

26. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 12 including at least one user actuatable button at said casing for actuating said illumination source.

28. The lighting assembly of claim 27, wherein said optical element comprises a coating on a surface of said lens facing said illumination source and said reflective element.

29. The lighting assembly of claim 27, wherein said optical element reflects at least approximately 30 percent of said infrared radiation generally away from said lens.

30. The lighting assembly of claim 29, wherein said optical element transmits at least approximately 50 percent of said visible radiation from said illumination source through said optical element and said lens.

31. The lighting assembly of claim 27, wherein said optical element reflects at least approximately 50 percent of said infrared radiation generally away from said lens.

32. The lighting assembly of claim 27, wherein said optical element reflects at least approximately 70 percent of said infrared radiation generally away from said lens.

33. The lighting assembly of claim 27, wherein said reflective element is adapted to at least partially transmit said infrared radiation so that reduced reflection of said infrared radiation occurs toward said lens.

34. The lighting assembly of claim 33, wherein said reflective element comprises a substrate which at least partially transmits infrared radiation of spectral content of greater than approximately 800 nanometers.

35. The lighting assembly of claim 27, wherein said illumination source comprises at least one of an incandescent bulb and a light emitting diode.

36. The lighting assembly of claim 27, wherein said illumination source comprises an incandescent bulb.

37. The lighting assembly of claim 27, wherein said lighting assembly is adapted for an interior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle.

12. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a mirror casing;

a mirror reflector at said casing;

at least one lighting assembly at said casing, said at least one lighting assembly comprising an illumination source, a reflective element at least partially surrounding said illumination source, and a lens, said illumination source being operable to radiate radiation including visible radiation and infrared radiation, said radiation from said illumination source impinging on said reflective element, said reflective element reflecting reflected radiation toward said lens, said reflective element being adapted to at least partially transmit said infrared radiation so that reduced reflection of said infrared radiation occurs toward said lens; and

a mirror mounting assembly for pivotally mounting said mirror casing to a vehicle.

27. A lighting assembly for a vehicle, said lighting assembly comprising:

an illumination source which is operable to radiate radiation including visible radiation and infrared radiation;

a reflective element at least partially surrounding said illumination source, said radiation from said illumination source impinging on said reflective element; and

a lens, said reflective element reflecting reflected radiation toward said lens, said lens including an optical element which substantially transmits said visible radiation through said optical element and said lens while at least partially reflecting said infrared radiation generally away from said lens so that reduced transmission of said infrared radiation occurs through said lens.