Vehicle lamp assembly

• US 4,644,455 A
• Filed: 12/17/1984
• Issued: 02/17/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Britax Vega Ltd. (Koito Manufacturing Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Britax Vega Ltd. (Koito Manufacturing Company Limited)
• Inventors: Tysoe, Nicholas W., Inglis, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Myhre, Charles J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Okonsky, David A.
• Application Number:
  US06/682,437
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 362/307, 362/308, 362/309, 362/311, 362/327, 362/328, 362/331, 362/299, 362/300, 362/348, 362/349, 362/351, 362/361, 362/337, 362/339, 362/340, 362/244, 362/245, 362/246
• US Class Current: 362/509
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle lamp assembly comprises a light source and a light transmitting member carrying a plurality of strips formed of a light absorbing material. Baffle elements, formed of transparent material and each having an opaque coating on one of its side faces, extend perpendicular to the surface of the light transmitting member towards the light source. Each baffle element is aligned with a respective one of the parallel strips. Lens means are arranged to concentrate light from the light source between adjacent strips and a color filter is located between the light source and the baffle elements.

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp assembly, comprising a light source, a light transmitting member, a plurality of parallel strips formed of a light absorbing material on said light transmitting member, baffle elements extending perpendicular to the surface of the light transmitting member towards the light source, primary lens means arranged to concentrate light from the light source such that said concentrated light is directed between said parallel strips, secondary lens means arranged to increase the distribution of emitted light in the direction parallel to the length of the strips of light absorbing material and a color filter located between the light source and the baffle elements, each baffle element being formed of transparent material, having an opaque coating on one of its side faces and being aligned with a respective one of the parallel strips.

2. A lamp assembly according to claim 1, wherein the secondary lens means are located between the strips of light absorbing material and the light source.

3. A lamp assembly according to claim 2, wherein the secondary lens means are combined in a single lens assembly with the primary lens means.

4. A lamp assembly to claim 2, wherein the secondary lens means are formed integrally with the light transmitting member, the strips of light-absorbing material being formed on the opposite surface to that facing the light source.

5. A lamp assembly according to claim 1, wherein both the primary and secondary lens means comprise cylindrical lens formations, those of the primary lens means having their axes parallel to the strips of light-absorbing material and those of the secondary lens means having their axes perpendicular to the strips of light-absorbing material.

6. A lamp assembly according to claim 5, wherein the number of strips of light-absorbing material is a multiple of the number of baffle elements and the primary lens means is provided with prism formations aligned with each of the baffle elements and arranged to direct light from the light source through gaps between adjacent strips of light-absorbing material other than the gaps closest to such baffle element.

7. A lamp assembly according to claim 5, wherein some of the lens elements of the secondary lens means have a shorter focal length than the remaining lens elements thereof.