COLOR MIXING ILLUMINATION DEVICE

• US 20190309927A1
• Filed: 04/03/2019
• Published: 10/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rebo Lighting & Electronics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Rebo Lighting & Electronics, LLC
• Inventors: Irgang, Todd
• Granted Patent: US 10,704,767 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/18 being additional front lights bracket mounted headlights B60Q1/0483
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/543 for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/20 Multi-color single source or LED matrix, e.g. yellow blinker and red brake lamp generated by single lamp
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/62 using mixing chambers, e.g. housings with reflective walls
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/31 Optical layout thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/40 characterised by the combination of reflectors and refractors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/04 Optical design
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/24 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for signalling, marking or indicating, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/33 annular
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/17 forming a single encapsulated light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A color mixing illumination device and method of using the same. The color mixing illumination device includes a printed circuit board (PCB) having a PCB surface with a reflective portion; a multi-color light source attached to the PCB, such as a red-green-blue light emitting diode (RGB LED); and a reflector with a reflector surface. The PCB surface and the reflector surface are configured to mix light from the multi-color light source in a mixing region and then direct mixed light out of the device from an exit region. In one embodiment, the color mixing illumination device is a multi-color indicator lamp for a vehicle.

Claims

1. A color mixing illumination device, comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB) having a PCB surface with a reflective portion;

a light source mounted to the PCB and having a first color emitting site and a second color emitting site, wherein the first color emitting site is configured to emit light of a first wavelength and the second color emitting site is configured to emit light of a second wavelength that is different than the first wavelength;

a lens; and

a reflector having a reflector surface with a first reflective portion, the first reflective portion of the reflector surface faces the reflective portion of the PCB surface to at least partially define a mixing region therebetween, wherein the PCB surface and the reflector surface are configured to mix light from the first color emitting site and the second color emitting site in the mixing region and to direct mixed light to the lens in an exit region.

2. The color mixing illumination device of claim 1, wherein the light source is a red-green-blue light emitting diode (RGB LED) and further comprises a third color emitting site that is configured to emit light of a third wavelength that is different than the first wavelength and the second wavelength, wherein the first color emitting site is a red emitting site, the second color emitting site is a blue emitting site, and the third color emitting site is a green emitting site.

3. The color mixing illumination device of claim 2, wherein the reflector is configured to mix light from the first color emitting site, the second color emitting site, and the third color emitting site at the mixing region and direct mixed light from the first color emitting site, the second color emitting site, and the third color emitting site at the exit region out through the lens.

4. The color mixing illumination device of claim 1, wherein the reflective portion of the printed circuit board (PCB) includes a reflective solder mask.

5. The color mixing illumination device of claim 1, wherein the reflector is made from a white diffusive plastic material.

6. The color mixing illumination device of claim 1, wherein the first reflective portion of the reflector is bowl-shaped and a second reflective portion of the reflector is angled.

7. The color mixing illumination device of claim 6, wherein the bowl-shaped first reflective portion has a semi-toroidal configuration that follows a shape of an annulus located toward a center of the color mixing illumination device.

8. The color mixing illumination device of claim 6, wherein the first reflective portion of the reflector includes a curved wall adjacent the printed circuit board (PCB) and a transition wall extending to an exit wall at the second reflective portion of the reflector.

9. The color mixing illumination device of claim 8, wherein the angle between the exit wall and the sloped transition wall is between about 110°

and 160°

, inclusive.

10. The color mixing illumination device of claim 9, wherein the angle between the exit wall and the sloped transition wall is about 135°

.

11. The color mixing illumination device of claim 1, wherein a distance between the reflector and the printed circuit board (PCB) in a range of about 2 mm to about 25 mm, inclusive.

12. The color mixing illumination device of claim 1, wherein the reflector surface includes a second reflective portion that faces the lens to at least partially define the exit region therebetween.

13. The color mixing illumination device of claim 1, wherein the lens includes a curved apex between two planar side walls.

14. A multi-color indicator lamp for a vehicle comprising the color mixing illumination device of claim 1.

15. The multi-color indicator lamp of claim 14, comprising a plurality of illumination segments configured to progressively illuminate in a cycle.

16. A color mixing illumination device, comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB) having a PCB surface with a reflective portion;

a light source mounted to the PCB, wherein the light source includes a first color emitting site, a second color emitting site, and a third color emitting site, wherein the first color emitting site is configured to emit light of a first wavelength, the second color emitting site is configured to emit light of a second wavelength that is different than the first wavelength, and the third color emitting site is configured to emit light of a third wavelength that is different than the first wavelength and the second wavelength; and

a reflector having a first reflective portion and a second reflective portion, wherein the first reflective portion includes a curved wall adjacent the PCB and a transition wall extending to an exit wall at the second reflective portion, wherein the reflector is configured to mix light from the first color emitting site, the second color emitting site, and the third color emitting site between the reflective portion of the PCB and the first reflective portion of the reflector and direct mixed light from the first color emitting site, the second color emitting site, and the third color emitting site at the second reflective portion out through the color mixing illumination device.

17. The color mixing illumination device of claim 16, further comprising a lens having two planar sidewalls that at least partially extend orthogonally away the reflector and join at a curved apex.

18. A multi-color indicator lamp for a vehicle comprising the color mixing illumination device of claim 16.

19. A method of using a color mixing illumination device, the color mixing illumination device comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) having a PCB surface with a reflective portion, a light source mounted to the PCB and having a first color emitting site and a second color emitting site, and a reflector having a first reflective portion that faces the reflective portion of the PCB surface to at least partially define a mixing region therebetween, the method comprising the steps of:

emitting light of a first wavelength from the first color emitting site;

emitting light of a second wavelength from the second color emitting site;

mixing light from the first color emitting site and the second color emitting site in the mixing region; and

directing mixed light from the mixing region to an exit region.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the color mixing illumination device includes a plurality of illumination segments, each illumination segment having a light source, and further comprising the step of progressively illuminating each of the plurality of illumination segments in a cycle.