Electromagnetic radiation assembly

• US 20060018047A1
• Filed: 07/26/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: KW Muth Company
• Original Assignee: KW Muth Company
• Inventors: Bukosky, Allen A., Todd, Daniel R., Mathieu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US10/899,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20060018047A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/844
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/00 Elements for modifying spectral properties, polarisation or intensity of the light emitted, e.g. filters coloured shades F21V1/00; elements characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/502

Abstract

An electromagnetic radiation assembly is disclosed and which includes a circuit substrate having a first portion and a flexible second portion, and wherein the circuit substrate defines at least one electrical pathway; a first electromagnetic radiation emitter is electrically coupled to the electrical pathway and located on the first portion of the circuit substrate; and a second electromagnetic radiation emitter is electrically coupled to the electrical pathway and located on the second portion of the circuit substrate.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic radiation assembly, comprising:

a circuit substrate having a first portion and a flexible second portion, and wherein the circuit substrate defines at least one electrical pathway;

a first electromagnetic radiation emitter electrically coupled to the electrical pathway and located on the first portion of the circuit substrate; and

a second electromagnetic radiation emitter electrically coupled to the electrical pathway and located on the second portion of the circuit substrate.

2. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the electrical pathway is electrically coupled to a source of electricity, and wherein delivery of electricity to the electrical pathway causes each of the first and second electromagnetic radiation emitters to become energized and emit visibly discernible electromagnetic radiation.

3. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the electrical pathway is electrically coupled to a source of electricity, and wherein delivery of electricity to the electrical pathway causes the respective electromagnetic radiation emitters to be selectively energized.

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

a second electrical pathway borne by the circuit substrate, and wherein a source of electricity is coupled to the second electrical pathway, and wherein energizing the second electrical pathway causes heat energy to be generated.

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

a second electrical pathway borne by the first portion of the circuit substrate; and

an electrochromic fluid or gel electrically coupled to the circuit substrate, and wherein the second electrical pathway is coupled to a source of electricity, and wherein the selective energizing of the second electrical pathway causes the electrochromic fluid or gel to selectively pass predetermined amounts of visibly discernible electromagnetic radiation.

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

a second electrical pathway borne by the first portion of the circuit substrate, and

a second electrically actuatable assembly electrically coupled with the second electrical pathway, and wherein the first and second electrical pathways are coupled with a source of electricity and may be selectively energized.

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

a semitransparent mirror having a first region through which discernible electromagnetic radiation passes, and a second region adjacent thereto, and wherein the first portion of the circuit substrate is juxtaposed relative to the semitransparent mirror, and wherein the first electromagnetic radiation emitter emits electromagnetic radiation which passes through the first region of the semitransparent mirror.

8. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 7, and further comprising:

a housing defined by a sidewall, and which supports the semitransparent mirror, and wherein the sidewall defines a region through which visibly discernible electromagnetic radiation passes, and wherein the second portion of the circuit substrate is juxtaposed relative to the region of the sidewall which passes visibly discernible electromagnetic radiation.

9. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 8, and wherein the second portion of the circuit substrate is positioned adjacent to the sidewall through which the visibly discernable electromagnetic radiation passes by a mounting bracket which is substantially opaque and which further substantially impedes the deposit of particulate matter on the region of the sidewall which passes the visibly discernable electromagnetic radiation.

10. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 8, and further comprising:

a second electrical pathway borne by the first portion of the circuit substrate, and wherein the second electrical pathway is coupled to a source of electricity and which, when energized, imparts heat energy to the semitransparent mirror.

11. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 10, and wherein the semitransparent mirror has an exterior facing surface having a shape, and wherein the first portion of the circuit substrate substantially conforms to the shape of the exterior facing surface of the semitransparent mirror.

12. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the first portion of the circuit substrate includes a region through which visibly discernible electromagnetic radiation passes.

13. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 12, and wherein the first electromagnetic radiation emitter emits electromagnetic radiation which passes through the region of the circuit substrate which passes the visibly discernible electromagnetic radiation.

14. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 12, and wherein the region of the first portion of the circuit substrate through which visibly discernible electromagnetic radiation passes is substantially continuous, and translucent.

15. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 12, and wherein the region of the first portion of the circuit substrate through which visibly discernible electromagnetic radiation passes is discontinuous, and defines at least one aperture which passes visibly discernible electromagnetic radiation.

16. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 12, and further comprising:

a reflector disposed in covering, eccentric reflecting relation relative to the first electromagnetic radiation emitter, and wherein the first electromagnetic radiation emitter, when energized, emits visibly discernible electromagnetic radiation which is reflected by the reflector and which passes through the region of the first portion of the circuit substrate which passes visibly discernible electromagnetic radiation.

17. An electromagnetic radiation assembly comprising:

a housing which is defined by a sidewall;

a semitransparent mirror borne by the housing, and having a first region through which visibly discernible electromagnetic radiation passes, and a second region which is adjacent thereto;

an electrical pathway borne by the semitransparent mirror;

a first electromagnetic radiation emitter electrically coupled to the electrical pathway and positioned adjacent to the first region, and which, when energized, emits electromagnetic radiation which passes through, at least in part, the first region, and in a first direction; and

a second electromagnetic radiation emitter electrically coupled to the electrical pathway, and which, when energized, emits electromagnetic radiation which passes through the sidewall of the housing, and in a second direction.

18. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 17, and wherein the sidewall defines an aperture, and wherein the electromagnetic radiation assembly further comprises a translucent lens which substantially occludes the aperture defined by the sidewall.

19. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 18, and further comprising:

a mounting bracket, and wherein a portion of the electrical pathway, and the second electromagnetic radiation emitter are affixed to the mounting bracket, and wherein the mounting bracket releasably mounts the second electromagnetic radiation emitter on the housing and in an orientation such that the emitted electromagnetic radiation provided by the second electromagnetic radiation emitter passes through the aperture and translucent lens.

20. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 19, and wherein the mounting bracket is sized so as to substantially occlude the aperture which is defined in the sidewall and which further substantially impedes the deposit of any particulate matter on the translucent lens.

21. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 17, and further comprising:

a flexible electrically insulative substrate, and wherein the electrical pathway is formed on the flexible electrically insulative substrate, and wherein the flexible electrically insulative substrate is juxtaposed relative to the semitransparent mirror.

22. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 21, and wherein the electrical pathway further defines a heater which, when energized, imparts heat energy to the semitransparent mirror.

23. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 17, and wherein the semitransparent mirror includes a highly reflective mirror coating, and wherein a portion of the highly reflective mirror coating is removed to define the first region.

24. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 17, and wherein the semitransparent mirror includes a dichroic mirror coating which is operable to pass emitted electromagnetic radiation having predetermined wavelengths and wherein the first electromagnetic radiation emitter emits electromagnetic radiation having the predetermined wavelengths which are passed by the semitransparent mirror.

25. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 17, and wherein the semitransparent mirror has a highly reflective mirror coating, and wherein the first region of the semitransparent mirror has a mirror coating thickness having a first dimension, and wherein the second region of the semitransparent mirror has a mirror coating thickness having a second dimension, and wherein the second dimension is greater than the first dimension.

26. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 17, and wherein the semitransparent mirror comprises an electrochromic mirror.

27. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 17, and wherein the first and second electromagnetic radiation emitters emit electromagnetic radiation having substantially the same wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation.

28. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 17, and wherein the first and/or second electromagnetic radiation emitters are mounted on discrete circuit boards, and wherein the discrete circuit boards are electrically coupled to the electrical pathway.

29. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 17, and wherein the first and second electromagnetic radiation emitters emit electromagnetic radiation having different wavelengths.

30. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 17, and further comprising:

a reflector disposed in covering eccentric reflecting relation relative to the first electromagnetic radiation emitter, and which reflects the emitted electromagnetic radiation produced by the first electromagnetic radiation emitter in the direction of the first region of the semitransparent mirror.

31. An electromagnetic radiation assembly comprising:

a housing having a sidewall and which defines a cavity, and wherein the sidewall further defines an aperture;

a translucent lens positioned in substantially occluding relation relative to the aperture;

a semitransparent mirror borne by the housing, and which has an outwardly facing surface, and an inwardly facing surface which defines, at least in part, the cavity of the housing, and wherein the semitransparent mirror defines a first region through which visibly discernible electromagnetic radiation passes, and a second region which is adjacent thereto;

a flexible, electrically insulative circuit substrate having a first portion which is juxtaposed relative to the inside facing surface of the semitransparent mirror, and a second portion which is positioned near the translucent lens;

a first electrical pathway borne by the circuit substrate, and which is operable to be selectively electrically coupled to a source of electrical power;

a first electromagnetic radiation emitter borne by the first portion of the circuit substrate, and which is electrically coupled with the first electrical pathway, and wherein the first electromagnetic radiation emitter, when energized, emits visibly discernable electromagnetic radiation which passes through the first region of the semitransparent mirror;

a second electromagnetic radiation emitter borne by the second portion of the circuit substrate, and which is electrically coupled to the first electrical pathway, and wherein the second electromagnetic radiation emitter, when energized, emits visibly discernible electromagnetic radiation which is passed by the translucent lens; and

a reflector disposed in eccentric, covering, reflecting relation relative to the first electromagnetic radiation emitter, and which reflects electromagnetic radiation emitted by the first electromagnetic radiation emitter in a direction towards the first region of the semitransparent mirror.

32. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 31, and wherein a second electrical pathway is borne by the circuit substrate, and which, when energized, emits heat energy which is imparted to the second region of the semitransparent mirror.

33. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 31, and wherein energizing the first electrical pathway causes the first and second electromagnetic radiation emitters to substantially simultaneously emit visibly discernible electromagnetic radiation.

34. An electromagnetic radiation assembly as claimed in claim 31, and further comprising:

a mounting bracket which releasably engages the sidewall of the housing, and wherein the second portion of the circuit substrate is engaged by the mounting bracket, and wherein the mounting bracket positions the second portion of the circuit substrate adjacent to the translucent lens, and substantially impedes the deposit of any particulate matter on the translucent lens.