CAMOUFLAGED COMPOSITE MILITARY VEHICLE LAMP

• US 20090052199A1
• Filed: 02/01/2008
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grote Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Grote Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Bolander, Albert J. JR., Drake, Matthew E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,007,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/509
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2607 comprising at least two indicating lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/125 Coloured light
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/255 Filters
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/26 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 3/00 Camouflage, i.e. means or methods for concealment or disguise for vessels B63G8/34, B63G13/02 ; sound camouflage, i.e. simulating gun fire noise, F41A33/04; dummy or decoy targets F41J; chaff per se F41J2/00; ammunition for dispensing chaff F42B5/15, F42B12/70; radar absorbing fabrics H01Q17/005

Abstract

A composite lamp assembly for use on a camouflaged military vehicle comprises a lamp housing colored to match the camouflaged scheme of the vehicle. The lamp housing defines an interior space, a first opening and a plurality of second openings in communication with the interior space. The lamp assembly includes a clear lens attached to the housing to occupy the first opening and a plurality of diffusers attached to the housing to occupy the plurality of second openings, the diffusers being colored to match the camouflaged scheme of the vehicle. The lamp assembly further includes a circuit board arranged within the interior space of the lamp housing having first and second pluralities of LEDs mounted thereto. The first plurality of LEDs is positioned to provide light through the clear lens and the second is positioned to provide light through the diffusers.

Claims

1. A composite lamp assembly for use on a camouflaged military vehicle, comprising:

a lamp housing colored to match the camouflaged scheme of the vehicle, wherein said lamp housing defines an interior space, a first opening in communication with said interior space, and a plurality of second openings in communication with said interior space;

a clear lens attached to said housing to occupy said first opening;

a plurality of diffusers attached to said housing to occupy said plurality of second openings, wherein said diffusers are colored to match the camouflaged scheme of the vehicle;

a circuit board arranged within said interior space of said lamp housing;

a first plurality of colored LEDs mounted on said circuit board and positioned to provide non-white light through said clear lens; and

a second plurality of colored LEDs mounted on said circuit board and positioned to provide non-white light through said diffusers.

2. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one visor extending outward of said housing above said diffusers to shield light emitted from said second plurality of colored LEDs.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said diffusers are at least partially recessed within said housing.

4. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a lamp housing bucket, wherein the lamp housing is connectable to said lamp housing bucket.

5. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a wiring harness coupled to said circuit board to couple the conductive paths to said first and second pluralities of colored LEDs.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said clear lens is non-reflective to substantially diffuse external light impinging upon said clear lens.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein said clear lens is textured.

8. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising an armored military vehicle, wherein the lamp assembly is mounted on said armored military vehicle.

9. A composite lamp assembly for use on a camouflaged military vehicle, comprising:

a lamp housing colored to match the camouflaged scheme of the military vehicle, wherein said lamp housing defines an interior space and includes a clear lens and at least one diffuser, wherein said diffuser is colored to match the camouflaged scheme of the military vehicle;

a camouflaged component arranged within said interior space and positioned behind said clear lens such that at least a portion of said component is at least slightly visible through said clear lens, wherein said camouflaged component is colored to match the camouflaged scheme of the military vehicle;

a first LED arranged within said interior space and positioned to provide light through said clear lens; and

a second LED arranged within said interior space and positioned to provide light through said diffuser.

10. The assembly of claim 9, further comprising a circuit board arranged within said interior space of said lamp housing, wherein said first and second LEDs are mounted on said circuit board.

11. The assembly of claim 9, wherein said camouflaged component is a circuit board, and wherein said first and second LEDs are mounted on said circuit board.

12. The assembly of claim 9, wherein said first and second LEDs are operable to emit non-white light.

13. The assembly of claim 9, wherein at least one of said first and second LEDs is operable to emit white light.

14. The assembly of claim 9, further comprising a first plurality of LEDs including said first LED and a second plurality of LEDs including said second LED.

15. A composite lamp assembly for use on a camouflaged military vehicle, comprising:

a first lamp portion operable to indicate at least the presence, turning and stopping of the vehicle; and

a second lamp portion operable to indicate at least the presence and stopping of the vehicle during nighttime convoy travel;

wherein said first lamp portion includes at least a first colored LED mounted within a camouflaged lamp housing and a clear lens covering said first colored LED, wherein said first colored LED is operable to emit non-white light directed at the clear lens;

wherein said second lamp portion includes at least a second colored LED mounted within the camouflaged lamp housing and at least one camouflaged diffuser covering said second colored LED, wherein said second colored LED is operable to emit non-white light directed at the diffuser.

16. The assembly of claim 15, further comprising an armored military vehicle, wherein the lamp assembly is mounted on said armored military vehicle.

17. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the diffuser is at least partially translucent such that the non-white light emitted from said second colored LED at least partially passes through the diffuser.

18. The assembly of claim 15, wherein said second lamp portion further includes at least one camouflaged visor mounted to the camouflaged lamp housing to reduce the visibility of non-white light emitted from said second colored LED from above the lamp assembly.

19. The assembly of claim 15, wherein said clear lens is non-reflective to substantially diffuse external light impinging upon said lens.

20. A lamp assembly for use on a camouflaged military vehicle, comprising:

a lamp housing colored to match the camouflaged scheme of the vehicle, wherein said lamp housing defines an interior space and a plurality of openings in communication with said interior space to provide blackout lighting;

at least one diffuser attached to said housing to occupy said plurality of openings, wherein said diffuser is colored to match the camouflaged scheme of the vehicle;

a circuit board arranged within said interior space of said lamp housing;

a plurality of colored LEDs mounted on said circuit board and positioned to provide non-white light through said diffuser; and

at least one camouflaged visor attached to said housing above said diffuser to reduce the visibility of non-white light emitted from said colored LEDs from above the lamp assembly.

21. The assembly of claim 20, further comprising an armored military vehicle, wherein the lamp assembly is mounted on said armored military vehicle.

22. The assembly of claim 20, wherein said lamp housing defines an upper hole in communication with said interior space to provide standard vehicle function lighting.

23. The assembly of claim 22, further comprising a clear lens attached to said housing to occupy said first opening.

24. The assembly of claim 23, further comprising a second plurality of colored LEDs mounted on said circuit board and positioned to provide non-white light through said clear lens.

25. A method comprising,

providing rear and front housing components of a lamp assembly to be mounted on a vehicle, wherein said front housing component defines a first larger hole and a plurality of second smaller holes, wherein said rear and front housing components are colored to match the camouflaged scheme of the vehicle;

positioning a circuit board between said components, said circuit board having a first plurality and a second plurality of colored LEDs mounted thereto;

attaching a clear lens to said front housing component such that said lens covers said first hole, wherein said first plurality of colored LEDs is positioned on said circuit board to emit non-white light directed at said clear lens;

attaching a plurality of diffusers to said front housing component such that said diffusers cover said plurality of second holes, wherein said diffusers are colored to match the color of said rear and front housing components, wherein said second plurality of colored LEDs is positioned on said circuit board to emit non-white light directed at said diffusers; and

connecting together said rear and front housing components to form the lamp assembly.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said attaching said clear lens includes insert-molding said clear lens to said front housing component.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein said attaching said plurality of diffusers includes insert-molding said diffusers to said front housing component.

28. The method of claim 25, mounting the lamp assembly on an armored military vehicle.

29. A method comprising,

providing rear and front housing components of a lamp assembly to be mounted on a vehicle, wherein said front housing component defines a hole, wherein said rear and front housing components are colored to match the camouflaged scheme of the vehicle;

positioning a circuit board between said components, said circuit board having a first plurality and a second plurality of colored LEDs mounted thereto;

attaching a clear lens to said front housing component such that said lens covers said first hole, wherein said first plurality of colored LEDs is positioned on said circuit board to emit non-white light directed at said clear lens;

forming a plurality of diffusers in said front housing component, wherein said diffusers are colored to match the color of said rear and front housing components, wherein said second plurality of colored LEDs is positioned on said circuit board to emit non-white light directed at said diffusers; and

connecting together said rear and front housing components to form the lamp assembly.