Electromagnetic radiation assembly

• US 20050134953A1
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KW Muth Company
• Original Assignee: KW Muth Company
• Inventors: Todd, Daniel R., Mathieu, Daniel J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,008,091 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators

Abstract

An electromagnetic radiation assembly is described and which includes, a supporting substrate having a region through which visibly discernable electromagnetic radiation forming a signal may pass; first and second electromagnetic radiation emitters are provided and which are positioned adjacent to one of the surfaces defined by the substrate, and which, when energized, emit electromagnetic radiation; and a single reflector is disposed in eccentric reflecting relation relative to the first and second electromagnetic radiation emitters, and wherein emitted electromagnetic radiation is reflected by the single reflector and passes through the supporting substrate region which passes electromagnetic radiation, in different directions.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic radiation assembly, comprising:

a supporting substrate having opposite surfaces and having a region through which an electromagnetic radiation signal may pass;

first and second electromagnetic radiation emitters positioned adjacent to one of the surfaces defined by the substrate, and which, when energized, emit electromagnetic radiation; and

a single reflector disposed in eccentric reflecting relation relative to the first and second electromagnetic radiation emitters, and wherein the emitted electromagnetic radiation produced by the first and second electromagnetic radiation emitters is reflected by the single reflector and passes through the supporting substrate region which passes electromagnetic radiation in different directions.

2. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising:

a second substrate juxtaposed relative to the supporting substrate, and which has an electrically conductive pathway formed thereon, and wherein the first and second electromagnetic radiation emitters are mounted on the second substrate, and electrically coupled with the electrical pathway.

3. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 2, and wherein the second substrate defines a region which allows emitted electromagnetic radiation to pass therethrough.

4. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 3, and wherein the region which is defined by the second substrate comprises an aperture which is substantially aligned with the single reflector.

5. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 2, and wherein an electrically actuated heater is mounted on the second substrate and is operable, when energized, to impart heat energy to the supporting substrate.

6. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the substrate is a semitransparent mirror which has opposite first and second surfaces.

7. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the supporting substrate comprises a mirror, and wherein the region which passes electromagnetic radiation comprises a first region which passes less than about 50% of visible electromagnetic radiation, and which reflects on average less than about 40% of visible electromagnetic radiation;

and wherein the mirror further includes a second region, which is adjacent to the first region, and which passes less than about 10% of visible electromagnetic radiation, and which reflects greater than about 35% of visible electromagnetic radiation.

8. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the supporting substrate is a dichroic mirror.

9. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 6, and wherein the first and second electromagnetic radiation emitters are mounted on one of the first or second surfaces of the supporting substrate.

10. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 9, and wherein an electrically conductive pathway is formed on one of the first or second surfaces of the semitransparent mirror, and wherein the electromagnetic radiation emitters are electrically coupled to the electrically conductive pathway.

11. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 6, and wherein the first and second electromagnetic radiation emitters are mounted on a circuit board which is juxtaposed relative to one of the first or second surfaces of the semitransparent mirror.

12. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 6, and wherein the first and second electromagnetic radiation emitters are mounted on a flexible substrate which is positioned in juxtaposed relation relative to one of the first or second surfaces of the semitransparent mirror.

13. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the respective electromagnetic radiation emitters emit visible electromagnetic radiation having substantially the same wavelengths.

14. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the electromagnetic radiation emitters emit electromagnetic radiation having different wavelengths.

15. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the emitted electromagnetic radiation passes through the supporting substrate in more than two directions.

16. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the single reflector has multiple reflecting surfaces which reflect the emitted electromagnetic radiation produced by the first and second electromagnetic radiation emitters in at least two different directions.

17. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the electromagnetic radiation assembly is mounted in a housing of an exterior mirror, and wherein the exterior mirror is further mounted on an outside surface of an overland vehicle, and wherein the first electromagnetic radiation emitter, when energized, emits electromagnetic radiation which passes through the supporting substrate, and which travels in a direction which is generally laterally, outwardly, relative to the outside facing surface of the overland vehicle, and wherein the second electromagnetic radiation emitter, when energized, emits electromagnetic radiation which passes through the supporting substrate and which travels in a direction which is substantially laterally, inwardly and towards the outside facing surface of the overland vehicle.

18. An electromagnetic radiation assembly comprising:

a supporting substrate having opposite first and second surfaces, and having a first region which allows electromagnetic radiation to pass therethrough, and a second region adjacent to the first region;

a reflector positioned adjacent to the second surface of the supporting substrate and oriented in a position which is adjacent to the first region; and

at least two electromagnetic radiation emitters mounted on, or adjacent to the second surface of the supporting substrate, and which, when individually energized, emit electromagnetic radiation which is reflected by the reflector through the first region of the supporting substrate, and wherein the energizing of one of the electromagnetic radiation emitters produces visibly discernible electromagnetic radiation which is reflected, at least in part, by the reflector, and which passes through the first region and predominately in a first direction, and wherein energizing of the other of the two electromagnetic radiation emitters emits visibly discernible electromagnetic radiation which is reflected, at least in part, by the reflector, and which passes through the first region and predominately in a second direction which is angularly displaced relative to the first direction.

19. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 18, and wherein the supporting substrate comprises a semitransparent mirror.

20. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 18, and wherein the supporting substrate is a dichroic mirror.

21. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 18, and wherein the supporting substrate is an electrochromic mirror.

22. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 18, and wherein the supporting substrate comprises a substantially translucent substrate, and wherein a reflective coating is applied to either of the first or second surfaces thereof.

23. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 22, and wherein an electrically conductive pathway is formed on one of the first or second surfaces, and wherein the electromagnetic radiation emitters are electrically coupled to the electrically conductive pathway.

24. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 18, and wherein the first region of the supporting substrate is operable to pass less than about 50% of visible electromagnetic radiation, and which further reflects on average, less than about 40% of all visible electromagnetic radiation, and wherein the second region of the supporting substrate passes less than about 10% of visible electromagnetic radiation and which reflects greater than about 35% of visible electromagnetic radiation.

25. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 18, and wherein the supporting substrate has a surface area, and wherein the first region comprises a preponderance of the surface area of the supporting substrate.

26. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 18, and wherein the supporting substrate has a surface area, and wherein the first region comprises less than a preponderance of the surface area of the supporting substrate.

27. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 18, and wherein the supporting substrate is substantially transparent, and wherein a highly reflective coating is applied to the first or second surface of the supporting substrate to create a semitransparent mirror, and wherein a portion of the highly reflective coating is removed to define the first region.

28. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 18, and wherein the supporting substrate is substantially transparent, and wherein a highly reflective coating is applied to the first or second surface of the supporting substrate to create a semitransparent mirror, and wherein the highly reflective coating has a thickness, and wherein the highly reflective coating in the second region has an average thickness greater than the average thickness of the first region.

29. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 18, and wherein the supporting substrate is substantially transparent, and wherein a highly reflective coating is applied to the second surface of the supporting substrate to form a semitransparent mirror, and wherein the first region of the semitransparent mirror is defined by a plurality of discreet areas which are substantially devoid of any reflective coating.

30. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 25, and further comprising a circuit substrate mounted in juxtaposed relation relative to the second surface of the supporting substrate, and wherein the electromagnetic radiation emitters are borne by, and electrically coupled to the circuit substrate.

31. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 18, and wherein the reflector is mounted in substantially eccentric covering relation relative to the respective electromagnetic radiation emitters.

32. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 31, and wherein the reflector defines at least two reflecting surfaces which are individually positioned in adjacent reflecting relation relative to the respective first and second electromagnetic radiation emitters.

33. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 31, and wherein the emitted electromagnetic radiation passing through the first region, and in the angularly displaced first and second directions, travels predominately along individual axes which are substantially in the same plane.

34. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 31, and wherein the emitted electromagnetic radiation passing through the first region, and in the angularly displaced first and second directions travels predominately along individual axes which are substantially in different planes.

35. An electromagnetic radiation assembly, comprising:

a supporting substrate having opposite surfaces, and having a region through which an electromagnetic radiation signal may pass;

a plurality of first and second electromagnetic radiation emitters positioned adjacent to one of the surfaces defined by the supporting substrate and which, when energized, emit electromagnetic radiation; and

a multi-faceted reflector disposed in eccentric reflecting relation relative to the plurality of first and second electromagnetic radiation emitters, and wherein the emitted electromagnetic radiation produced by the first electromagnetic radiation emitters is substantially reflected through the substrate region in a first direction by a first group of reflector facets, and the emitted electromagnetic radiation produced by the second electromagnetic radiation emitters is substantially reflected by a second group of reflector facets through the substrate region in a second direction.

36. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 35, and wherein the reflector is defined by a sidewall, and wherein the sidewall defines a cavity, and wherein the first and second electromagnetic radiation emitters are received in the cavity.

37. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 35, and wherein the supporting substrate is substantially transparent, and a reflective layer is deposited on one of the opposite surfaces thereof, and which forms a semitransparent mirror, and wherein the electromagnetic radiation emitters are mounted adjacent to the supporting substrate.

38. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 35, and wherein the electromagnetic radiation assembly is mounted on an outside surface of an overland vehicle, and wherein the first group of reflector facets reflects electromagnetic radiation emitted by the first electromagnetic radiation emitters in the first direction and which is laterally, outwardly relative to the overland vehicle.

39. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 38, and wherein the second group of reflector facets reflects electromagnetic radiation emitted by the second group of electromagnetic radiation emitters in a direction which is laterally, downwardly relative to the overland vehicle.

40. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 38, and wherein the second group of reflector facets emits electromagnetic radiation emitted by the second group of electromagnetic radiation emitters in a direction which is laterally, inwardly relative to the overland vehicle.

41. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 35, and wherein at least one of the first and/or second group of reflector facets have multiple reflecting surfaces.