Lamp masking method and apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A headlamp assembly comprising:
- a headlamp bulb for emitting light from the headlamp assembly;
a bulb housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the headlamp bulb to an illumination zone, a portion of said housing coated with a coating material which covers a selected region of the light transmissive portion of the housing and which when electrically energized alters the light transmitted from the bulb to the illumination zone; and
a drive circuit electrically coupled to the coating material for selectively energizing the coating material and thereby controlling a light output from the headlamp assembly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A motor vehicle lamp assembly (10) having a lamp bulb (12) for emitting light and a bulb housing (14) having a light transmissive portion (16) for transmitting light from the lamp bulb to an illumination zone. The housing is coated with a coating material (60), which covers a selected region (32, 34, 36) of the light transmissive portion of the housing. The coating material is electrically energized to alter an amount of light transmitted from the bulb to the illumination zone. A drive circuit (30) electrically coupled to the coating material energizes the coating material to control a light output from the lamp assembly.
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Citations
65 Claims
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1. A headlamp assembly comprising:
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a headlamp bulb for emitting light from the headlamp assembly;
a bulb housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the headlamp bulb to an illumination zone, a portion of said housing coated with a coating material which covers a selected region of the light transmissive portion of the housing and which when electrically energized alters the light transmitted from the bulb to the illumination zone; and
a drive circuit electrically coupled to the coating material for selectively energizing the coating material and thereby controlling a light output from the headlamp assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A process for constructing a headlamp assembly comprising:
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positioning a headlamp bulb that emits light within a headlamp housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the headlamp bulb to an illumination zone, applying a coating material to the housing to cover selected regions of the light transmissive portion; and
coupling the coating material to a drive circuit for selectively energizing the coating material which when electrically energized alters light transmitted from the bulb to the illumination zone. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A motor vehicle lamp assembly comprising:
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a lamp bulb for emitting light from the lamp assembly;
a bulb housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the lamp bulb to an illumination zone, a portion of said bulb housing including a coating material which covers a selected region of the light transmissive portion of the housing and which when electrically energized alters the light transmitted from the bulb to the illumination zone; and
a drive circuit electrically coupled to the coating material for selectively energizing the coating material and thereby controlling a light output from the lamp assembly. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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43. The apparatus of 32 wherein the driver circuit includes a programmable controller coupled to an output circuit that causes the multiple regions to exhibit one of two light transmissive states, a relatively high light transmissive state and a relatively low light transmissive state.
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49. A motor vehicle lamp assembly comprising:
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a lamp bulb for emitting light from the lamp assembly;
a bulb-housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the lamp bulb to an illumination zone, a cap attached to the bulb housing that includes a light transmitting cap portion between the lamp bulb and the illumination zone which supports a coating material which when electrically energized alters the light transmitted from the bulb to the illumination zone;
said cap spacing the coating material a distance from the bulb to control heat transfer from the bulb to the coating material; and
a drive circuit electrically coupled to the coating material for selectively energizing the coating material and thereby controlling a light output from the lamp assembly.
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50. A process for constructing a motor vehicle lamp assembly comprising:
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positioning a lamp bulb that emits light within a lamp housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the lamp bulb to an illumination zone, mounting a coating material in relation to the lamp housing to cover selected regions of the light transmissive portion; and
coupling the coating material to a drive circuit for selectively energizing the coating material which when electrically controls light characteristics transmitted from the bulb to the illumination zone. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59)
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56. The process of 50 herein the coating material is affixed to the light transmissive portion of lamp housing with electrically conductive adhesive material to enable the drive circuit to be electrically coupled to the coating material.
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60. A process for operating a motor vehicle lamp comprising:
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positioning a lamp bulb that emits light within a lamp housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the lamp bulb to an illumination zone, mounting a coating material in relation to the lamp housing to cover selected regions of the light transmissive portion;
coupling the coating material to a drive circuit for controlling a light transmissive state of the coating material; and
selectively activating the drive circuit to energize the coating material to alter light transmitted from the bulb to the illumination zone. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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Specification