VEHICLE REARVIEW ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A MAP LIGHT

• US 20070263400A1
• Filed: 05/10/2006
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Newton, Mark, Carter, John, Ypma, Kenton, Walser, Jeremy
• Granted Patent: US 7,404,655 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/494
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/258 Rear-view mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/76 for spotlighting, e.g. reading lamps spotlighting on or for specific fittings B60Q3/20; spotlighting in mass transit vehicles B60Q3/44
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/08 with discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lens diffractive Fresnel lenses G02B5/1876
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/022 lens and mount having complementary engagement means, e.g. screw/thread
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

Rearview assemblies for a vehicle are provided. The rearview assembly includes a housing coupled to a mounting structure that is configured to be mounted in a vehicle. The housing includes a rearward viewing means, and also includes a lamp subassembly. The lamp subassembly includes a single white LED device mounted to a substrate, and also includes an optical assembly with secondary optics for reflecting and refracting light emitted from the LED such that the emitted light forms two separate pools of light external to the rearview assembly. In an alternate embodiment, the lamp subassembly is included in a mounting structure for a vehicle rearview assembly. In still another embodiment, a vehicle optical accessory is provided, in which the vehicle optical accessory has one LED that provides two separate pools of light external to the vehicle optical accessory.

Claims

1. A rearview assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a mounting structure adapted to be mounted to a vehicle;

a housing coupled to said mounting structure;

rearward viewing device coupled to said housing for providing a rearward view to a vehicle occupant; and

a lamp subassembly coupled to said housing, said lamp subassembly comprising;

a substrate having a first surface;

a single white LED device mounted on the first surface of said substrate; and

an optical assembly adjacent to said single white LED device, said optical assembly comprising secondary optics, wherein said optical assembly receives light emanating from said single white LED device and optically alters the received light in said secondary optics to provide two substantially separate pools of light external to said optical assembly.

2. The rearview assembly of claim 1, wherein said secondary optics comprise an inner refracting optical surface configured to refract light from said single white LED device, a refracting riser wall surface configured to refract light emanating from said single white LED device toward a reflective surface, and a reflective surface, wherein light from said single white LED device is at least one of refracted by said inner refracting optical surface, and refracted by said refracting riser wall surface and reflected by said reflecting surface to provide the two substantially separate pools of light.

3. The rearview assembly of claim 2, wherein said inner refracting optical surface, refracting riser wall surface and reflective surface are formed as one unitary structure.

4. The rearview assembly of claim 2, wherein no surface of said secondary optics is part of an exposed surface of said housing.

5. The rearview assembly of claim 2, wherein at least one surface of said secondary optics is part of an exposed surface of said housing.

6. The rearview assembly of claim 2, wherein said secondary optics further comprise an outer refracting lens.

7. The rearview assembly of claim 6, wherein said inner refracting optical surface, refracting riser wall surface, and reflective surface are not part of an exposed surface of said housing, and wherein said outer refracting lens is an outer refracting lens that is part of an exposed surface of said housing.

8. The rearview assembly of claim 1, wherein said substrate further comprises electronic circuitry in addition to circuitry associated with said optical assembly.

9. The rearview assembly of claim 5, wherein said substrate further comprises electronic circuitry in addition to circuitry associated with said optical assembly.

10. The rearview assembly of claim 1, further comprising a light blocking baffle located in said housing and at least partially enclosing said optical assembly and said single white LED device, wherein said light blocking baffle is configured to substantially prevent light emanating from said single white LED device from exiting said optical assembly through areas other than said secondary optics.

11. The rearview assembly of claim 7, further comprising a light blocking baffle located in said housing and at least partially enclosing said optical assembly and said single white LED device, wherein said light blocking baffle is configured to substantially prevent light emanating from said single white LED device from exiting said optical assembly through areas other than said outer refracting lens.

12. The rearview assembly of claim 11, further comprising at least one copper plated area on at least one side of said substrate, wherein said at least one copper plated area is configured to remove thermal energy from at least one of said single white LED device and said substrate.

13. The rearview assembly of claim 11, further comprising a thermally conductive structure coupled to said substrate, wherein said substrate is coated with a dielectric material on a surface opposite the first surface that is in contact with said thermally conductive structure, and wherein said thermally conductive structure acts to remove thermal energy from at least one of said single white LED device and said substrate.

14. The rearview assembly of claim 1, wherein said housing comprises ribs at least partially enclosing said optical assembly and said single white LED device, wherein said ribs are configured to substantially prevent light emanating from said single white LED device from exiting said optical assembly through areas other than said secondary optics.

15. The rearview assembly of claim 5, wherein said housing comprises ribs at least partially enclosing said optical assembly and said single white LED device, wherein said ribs are configured to substantially prevent light emanating from said single white LED device from exiting said optical assembly through areas other than said outer refracting lens.

16. The rearview assembly of claim 14, further a thermally conductive structure coupled to said substrate, wherein said substrate is coated with a dielectric material on a surface opposite the first surface that is in contact with said thermally conductive structure, and wherein said thermally conductive structure acts to remove thermal energy from at least one of said single white LED device and said substrate.

17. The rearview assembly of claim 15, further comprising a thermally conductive structure coupled to said substrate, wherein said substrate is coated with a dielectric material on a surface opposite the first surface that is in contact with said thermally conductive structure, and wherein said thermally conductive structure acts to remove thermal energy from at least one of said single white LED device and said substrate.

18. The rearview assembly of claim 1, wherein said substrate is a printed circuit board (PCB), comprising at least one of aluminum, a thermally conductive polymer, an epoxy material reinforced with woven fiberglass, and a composite material comprising woven glass fabric, paper and epoxy.

19. The rearview assembly of claim 18, wherein said PCB comprises aluminum, and wherein said PCB acts as a heat sink to remove thermal energy from said single white LED device and the vicinity of said single white LED device.

20. The rearview assembly of claim 18, wherein said PCB comprises a thermally conductive polymer, and wherein said PCB acts as a heat sink to remove thermal energy from said single white LED device and the vicinity of said single white LED device.

21. The rearview assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of said two substantially separate pools of light provides a peak illuminance value at some predetermined distance from said optical assembly of at least 30 lux.

22. The rearview assembly of claim 1, wherein each of said two substantially separate pools of light provides a peak illuminance value at some predetermined distance from said optical assembly of at least 30 lux.

23. The rearview assembly of claim 21, wherein the predetermined distance is approximately 45.7 centimeters below the bottom of said optical assembly.

24. The rearview assembly of claim 22, wherein the predetermined distance is approximately 45.7 centimeters below the bottom of said optical assembly.

25. The rearview assembly of claim 2, wherein said reflective surface is a total internal reflection (TIR) surface.

26. The rearview assembly of claim 1, wherein the two substantially separate pools of light are separated by an area in which the illuminance provided by the pools of light in a plane parallel to the ground and located at a predetermined distance below the rearview assembly is less than approximately 25% of the peak illuminance provided by the pools of light in the plane.

27. The rearview assembly of claim 26, wherein the predetermined distance is 45.7 centimeters.

28. A rearview assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a mounting structure adapted to be mounted to a vehicle;

a housing coupled to said mounting structure;

rearward viewing device coupled to said housing for providing a rearward view to a vehicle occupant; and

a lamp subassembly coupled to said mounting structure, said lamp subassembly comprising;

a substrate having a first surface;

a single white LED device mounted on the first surface of said substrate; and

an optical assembly adjacent to said single white LED device, said optical assembly comprising secondary optics, wherein said optical assembly receives light emanating from said single white LED device and optically alters the received light in said secondary optics to provide two substantially separate pools of light external to said optical assembly.

29. The rearview assembly of claim 28, wherein said secondary optics comprise an inner reflecting optical surface configured to refract light from said single white LED device, a refracting riser wall surface configured to refract light emanating from said single white LED device toward a reflective surface, and a reflective surface, wherein light from said single white LED device is at least one of refracted by said inner refracting optical surface, and refracted by said refracting riser wall surface and reflected by said reflecting surface to provide the two substantially separate pools of light.

30. The rearview assembly of claim 29, wherein said inner refracting optical surface, refracting riser wall surface, and reflective surface are one unitary structure.

31. The rearview assembly of claim 29, wherein said secondary optics further comprise an outer refracting lens.

32. The rearview assembly of claim 31, wherein said inner refracting optical surface, refracting riser wall surface, and reflective surface are not part of an exposed surface of said mounting structure, and wherein said outer refracting lens is an outer refracting lens that is part of an exposed surface of said mounting structure.

33. The rearview assembly of claim 28, wherein said substrate further comprises electronic circuitry in addition to circuitry associated with said optical assembly.

34. The rearview assembly of claim 28, further comprising a light blocking baffle located in said mounting structure and at least partially enclosing said optical assembly and said single white LED device, wherein said light blocking baffle is configured to substantially prevent light emanating from said single white LED device from exiting said optical assembly through areas other than said secondary optics.

35. The rearview assembly of claim 32, further comprising a light blocking baffle located in said mounting structure and at least partially enclosing said optical assembly and said single white LED device, wherein said light blocking baffle is configured to substantially prevent light emanating from said single white LED device from exiting said optical assembly through areas other than said outer refracting lens.

36. The rearview assembly of claim 35, further comprising at least one copper plated area on at least one side of said substrate, wherein said at least one copper plated area is configured to remove thermal energy from at least one of said single white LED device and said substrate.

37. The rearview assembly of claim 28, wherein said mounting structure comprises ribs at least partially enclosing said optical assembly and said single white LED device, wherein said ribs are configured to substantially prevent light emanating from said single white LED device from exiting said optical assembly through areas other than said secondary optics.

38. The rearview assembly of claim 28, wherein said substrate is a printed circuit board (PCB), comprising at least one of aluminum, a thermally conductive polymer, an epoxy material reinforced with woven fiberglass, and a composite material comprising woven glass fabric, paper and epoxy.

39. The rearview assembly of claim 38, wherein said PCB comprises aluminum, and wherein said PCB acts as a heat sink to remove thermal energy from said single white LED device and the vicinity of said single white LED device.

40. The rearview assembly of claim 38, wherein said PCB comprises a thermally conductive polymer, and wherein said PCB acts as a heat sink to remove thermal energy from said single white LED device and the vicinity of said single white LED device.

41. The rearview assembly of claim 28, wherein at least one of said two substantially separate pools of light provides a peak illuminance at some predetermined distance from said optical assembly of at least 30 lux.

42. The rearview assembly of claim 41, wherein the predetermined distance is approximately 45.7 centimeters below the bottom of said optical assembly.

43. The rearview assembly of claim 28, wherein the two substantially separate pools of light are separated by an area in which the illuminance provided by the pools of light in a plane parallel to the ground and located at a predetermined distance below the rearview assembly is less than approximately 25% of the peak illuminance provided by the pools of light in the plane.

74. The rearview assembly of claim 43, wherein the predetermined distance is 45.7 centimeters.

44. (canceled)

45. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 44, wherein said secondary optics comprise an inner refracting optical surface configured to refract light from said single white LED device, a refracting riser wall surface configured to refract light emanating from said single white LED device toward a reflective surface, and a reflective surface, wherein light from said single white LED device is at least one of refracted by said inner refracting optical surface, and refracted by said refracting riser wall surface and reflected by said reflecting surface to provide the two substantially separate pools of light.

46. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 45, wherein said inner refracting optical surface, refracting riser wall surface, and reflective surface are formed as one unitary structure.

47. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 45, wherein no surface of said secondary optics is part of an exposed surface of said housing.

48. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 45, wherein at least one surface of said secondary optics is part of an exposed surface of said housing.

49. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 45, wherein said secondary optics further comprise an outer refracting lens.

50. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 49, wherein said inner refracting optical surface, refracting riser wall surface, and reflective surface are not part of an exposed surface of said housing, and wherein said outer refracting lens is an outer refracting lens that is part of an exposed surface of said housing.

51. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 44, wherein said substrate further comprises electronic circuitry in addition to circuitry associated with said optical assembly.

52. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 48, wherein said substrate further comprises electronic circuitry in addition to circuitry associated with said optical assembly.

53. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 44, further comprising a light blocking baffle located in said housing and at least partially enclosing said optical assembly and said single white LED device, wherein said light blocking baffle is configured to substantially prevent light emanating from said single white LED device from exiting said optical assembly through areas other than said secondary optics.

54. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 50, further comprising a light blocking baffle located in said housing and at least partially enclosing said optical assembly and said single white LED device, wherein said light blocking baffle is configured to substantially prevent light emanating from said single white LED device from exiting said optical assembly through areas other than said outer refracting lens.

55. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 54, further comprising at least one copper plated area on at least one side of said substrate, wherein said at least one copper plated area is configured to remove thermal energy from at least one of said single white LED device and said substrate.

56. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 54, further comprising a thermally conductive structure coupled to said substrate, wherein said substrate is coated with a dielectric material on a surface opposite the first surface that is in contact with said thermally conductive structure, and wherein said thermally conductive structure acts to remove thermal energy from at least one of said single white LED device and said substrate.

57. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 44, wherein said housing comprises ribs at least partially enclosing said optical assembly and said single white LED device, wherein said ribs are configured to substantially prevent light emanating from said single white LED device from exiting said optical assembly through areas other than said secondary optics.

58. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 48, wherein said housing comprises ribs at least partially enclosing said optical assembly and said single white LED device, wherein said ribs are configured to substantially prevent light emanating from said single white LED device from exiting said optical assembly through areas other than said outer refracting lens.

59. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 57, further a thermally conductive structure coupled to said substrate, wherein said substrate is coated with a dielectric material on a surface opposite the first surface that is in contact with said thermally conductive structure, and wherein said thermally conductive structure acts to remove thermal energy from at least one of said single white LED device and said substrate.

60. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 48, further comprising a thermally conductive structure coupled to said substrate, wherein said substrate is coated with a dielectric material on a surface opposite the first surface that is in contact with said thermally conductive structure, and wherein said thermally conductive structure acts to remove thermal energy from at least one of said single white LED device and said substrate.

61. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 44, wherein said substrate is a printed circuit board (PCB), comprising at least one of aluminum, a thermally conductive polymer, an epoxy material reinforced with woven fiberglass, and a composite material comprising woven glass fabric, paper and epoxy.

62. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 61, wherein said PCB comprises aluminum, and wherein said PCB acts as a heat sink to remove thermal energy from said single white LED device and the vicinity of said single white LED device.

63. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 61, wherein said PCB comprises a thermally conductive polymer, and wherein said PCB acts as a heat sink to remove thermal energy from said single white LED device and the vicinity of said single white LED device.

64. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 44, wherein at least one of said two substantially separate pools of light provides a peak illuminance at some predetermined distance from said optical assembly of at least 30 lux.

65. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 44, wherein each of said two substantially separate pools of light provides a peak illuminance at some predetermined distance from said optical assembly of at least 30 lux.

66. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 64, wherein the predetermined distance is approximately 45.7 centimeters below the bottom of said optical assembly.

67. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 65, wherein the predetermined distance is approximately 45.7 centimeters below the bottom of said optical assembly.

68. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 45, wherein said reflective surface is a total internal reflection (TIR) surface.

69. The rearview assembly of claim 44, wherein the two substantially separate pools of light are separated by an area in which the illuminance provided by the pools of light in a plane parallel to the ground and located at a predetermined distance below the rearview assembly is less than approximately 25% of the peak illuminance provided by the pools of light in the plane.

70. The rearview assembly of claim 69, wherein the predetermined distance is 45.7 centimeters.

71. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 44, wherein at least one of said housing, said substrate, said single white LED device and said optical assembly is located in an overhead structure of a vehicle.

72. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 71, wherein said overhead structure is an overhead console.

73. The vehicle optical accessory of claim 44, wherein the vehicle optical accessory is configured to function as a maplight.

44-1. A vehicle optical accessory comprising:

a housing adapted to be mounted to a vehicle;

a substrate located in said housing and having a first surface;

a single white LED device mounted on the first surface of said substrate; and

an optical assembly at least partially disposed in said housing and adjacent to said single white LED device, said optical assembly comprising secondary optics, wherein said optical assembly receives light emanating from said single white LED device and optically alters the received light in said secondary optics to provide two substantially separate pools of light external to said optical assembly.