Remote, automotive light diverting system

• US 4,826,273 A
• Filed: 08/18/1987
• Issued: 05/02/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation EEDS and Interiors Incorporated (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Automotive, Inc. (Lear Corporation)
• Inventors: Wodnicki, Glen G., Tinder, David V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Davie, James W.
• Application Number:
  US07/086,465
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 350/96.10, 362/32
• US Class Current: 362/488
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0001 specially adapted for lighting devices or systems lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4204 the coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms encapsulated active devices H01S5/02208, H01L33/52
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/421 the intermediate optical component consisting of a short length of fibre, e.g. fibre stub
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00944 Details of construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 385/901 Illuminating or display apparatus

Abstract

A light pipe including a light diverting section, in which light flowing through the light pipe in a longitudinal direction is diverted at least generally radially out from the light pipe or, alternatively, the light diverting section can be used as a receiver (rather than a transmitter) to collect light rays from light emanating around the device and divert them for passage down through the light pipe. An automotive application of the former, transmitter mode is serving as a visula indicator from a remote location in which the surface end of the light pipe is not clearly visible, such as for example on a "black box" located under a vehicle seat. An automotive application of the latter, receiver mode is as a light collector to receive or accept infrared rays from any compass position and from a range of vertical positions and direct them to a receptor, as part of an infrared personal entry system into the vehicle. The light diverting section includes a centrally located reflective surface on its side distal to the light pipe section which is conical (FIGS. 4 and 5) or concavely curved (FIGS. 1 and 2), the latter causing vertical as well as radial dispersion.

Claims

1. A remote automotive indicator light system for a viewer, comprising:

a container of electronics located under the seat of the vehicle or other like remote location;

an internal light source associated with an exterior surface of said container at an area substantially out of the direct line of sight of the viewer; and

a light diverter, including a light pipe, which in turn comprises;

an elongated, transparent section of light pipe through which light flows and having a longitudinal axis extending into said container adjacent to said light source; and

a light diverting, transparent section included at one end of said light pipe section intimately formed therewith, and located on and extending above the exterior surface of said container, said light diverting section having an exterior, light diverting, interiorly reflective surface distal to said light pipe section angularly diverging away from said longitudinal axis distally to said light pipe section, light from said light source flowing through said light pipe section being angularly diverted to the exterior of said light diverting section by said light diverting surface with respect to said longitudinal axis in an at least generally radial array about said longitudinal axis, allowing the diverted, reflected light to be clearly viewed from many locations located around said container outside of the area beneath the seat of the vehicle or other like remote location.

2. The remote automotive indicator light diverter system of claim 1,

wherein said exterior, light diverting, interiorly reflective surface forms a straight line in a vertical plane through said light diverting surface and is conically shaped.

3. The remote automotive indicator light diverter system of claim 1,

wherein said exterior, light diverting surface forms a concavely curved line in a longitudinal plane through said light diverting surface, causing the diverted, reflected light to be longitudinally as well as radially arrayed about said longitudinal axis allowing the diverted, reflected light to be clearly viewed from many locations located above the container as well as around the container.

4. The remote automotive indicator light diverter system of claim 3,

wherein the curved, light diverting surface is equivalent to a surface formed by rotating a concave curve 360°

about an axis coincident with said longitudinal axis.

5. The remote automotive indicator light diverter system of claim 1,

wherein said light diverting section forms a cylindrical button on top of said light pipe section, which itself is cylindrical but which has an outer diameter less than the outer diameter of said button forming a shoulder area therebetween, said cylindrical button located above said surface with said light pipe section extending down through a hole in said surface, said hole having a diameter less than the diameter of said cylindrical button.

6. The remote automotive indicator light diverter system of claim 5,

wherein said light pipe section and said light diverting section are injection molded integrally together of a transparent, plastic material;

and

wherein said button has a thickness of the order of about 4 mm and an outer diameter of the order of about 8.75 mm, the concave curve for the exterior, interiorly reflective surface has a radius of the order of about 18.80 mm, and said light pipe section has an outer diameter of the order of about 5.5 mm.

7. A method of enhancing the visibility to a viewer of an indicator light on the exterior surface of a container of electronics located in a remote location, such as under the seat of a vehicle, which container has an internal light source associated with said exterior surface, said exterior surface being substantially out of the direct line of sight of the viewer, comprising the following step(s):

(a) providing the container with a light diverter, including a light pipe, which in turn comprises;

an elongated, transparent section of light pipe through which light flows and having a longitudinal axis extending into the container to the light source; and

a light diverting, transparent section included at one end of said light pipe section intimately formed therewith, and located on and extending above the exterior surface of the container, said light diverting section having an exterior, light diverting, interiorly reflective surface distal to said light pipe section angularly diverging away from said longitudinal axis distally to said light pipe section; and

(b) allowing light from the light source to flow through said light pipe section to be angularly diverted to the exterior of said light diverting section by said light diverting surface with respect to said longitudinal axis in an at least generally radial array about said longitudinal axis, allowing the diverted, reflected light to be clearly viewed from many locations located around the container outside of the remote location.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein there is included the further step(s) of:

concavely curving said light diverting, interiorly reflective surface, causing the light to be longitudinally as well a radially dispersed.

9. An automotive light collector system for an infrared remote personal entry system for a vehicle or the like, comprising:

a remote infrared light source;

an enclosed, infrared light receptor on the vehicle;

a light diverter on the vehicle, including a light pipe, which in turn comprises;

a solid, light diverting, transparent section having an exterior, surrounding surface interfacing with the ambient; and

an elongated, transparent section of light pipe through which light flows and having a longitudinal axis, the proximal end of which is located next to said light receptor;

said light diverting section being included at the distal end of said light pipe section intimately formed therewith opposite to said light receptor, said light diverting section having an exterior, light diverting, interiorly reflective surface distal to said light pipe section angularly diverging away from said longitudinal axis distally to said light pipe section, light flowing from said remote, infrared light source from an at least generally radial direction into the sides of said light diverting section being angularly diverted into said light pipe section at least generally parallel to said longitudinal axis to said receptor.

10. The automotive light collector system of claim 9,

wherein said exterior, light diverting, interiorly reflective surface forms a concavely curved line in a longitudinal plane through said light diverting surface, causing the diverted, reflected light to be longitudinally as well as radially arrayed about said longitudinal axis.

11. The automotive light collector system of claim 9,

wherein said light pipe section and said light diverting section are injection molded together of a transparent plastic material.

12. A remote automotive indicator light system, comprising:

a vehicle having a seat for a human occupant;

a container of electronics located under said seat of the vehicle;

an internal light source associated with an exterior surface of said container at an area under said seat and substantially out of the direct line of sight of the occupant; and

a light diverter, including a light pipe, which in turn comprises;

an elongated, transparent section of light pipe through which light flows and having a longitudinal axis extending into said container to said light source; and

a light diverting, transparent section included at one end of said light pipe section intimately formed therewith, and located on and extending above the exterior surface of said container, said light diverting section having an exterior, light diverting, interiorly reflective surface distal to said light pipe section angularly diverging away from said longitudinal axis distally to said light pipe section, light from said light source flowing through said light pipe section being angularly diverted to the exterior of said light diverting section by said light diverting surface with respect to said longitudinal axis in an at least generally radial array about said longitudinal axis, allowing the diverted, reflected light to be clearly viewed from many locations located around said container outside of the area beneath said seat of the vehicle.

13. The remote automotive indicator light diverter system of claim 12,

wherein said exterior, light diverting, interiorly reflective surface forms a straight line in a vertical plane through said light diverting surface and is conically shaped.

14. The remote automotive indicator light diverter system of claim 12,

wherein said exterior, light diverting surface forms a concavely curved line in a longitudinal plane through said light diverting surface, causing the diverted, reflected light to be longitudinally as well as radially arrayed about said longitudinal axis allowing the diverted, reflected light to be clearly viewed from many locations located above the container as well as around the container.

15. The remote automotive indicator light diverter system of claim 14,

wherein the curved, light diverting surface is equivalent to a surface formed by rotating a concave curve 360°

about an axis coincident with said longitudinal axis.

16. The remote automotive indicator light diverter system of claim 12,

wherein said light diverting section forms a cylindrical button on top of said light pipe section, which itself is cylindrical but which has an outer diameter less than the outer diameter of said button, forming a shoulder area therebetween, said cylindrical button being located above said surface with said light pipe section extending down through a hole in said surface, said hole having a diameter less than the diameter of said cylindrical button.

17. The remote automotive indicator light diverter system of claim 16,

wherein said light pipe section and said light diverting section are injection molded integrally together of a transparent, plastic material;

and

wherein said button has a thickness of the order of about 4 mm and an outer diameter of the order of about 8.75 mm, the concave curve for the exterior, interiorly reflective surface has a radius of the order of about 18.80 mm, and said light pipe section has an outer diameter of the order of about 5.5 mm.

18. A light diverter, including a light pipe, comprising:

an elongated, transparent section of light pipe through which light flows and having a longitudinal axis with a first end and a second end longitudinally spaced from said first end; and

a light diverting, transparent section included at said first end of said light pipe section intimately formed therewith, said light diverting section having an exterior, light diverting, interiorly reflective surface distal to said light pipe section angularly diverging away from said longitudinal axis distally to said light pipe section, said exterior, light diverting surface forming a concavely curved line in a longitudinal plane through said light diverting surface, the curved, light diverting surface being equivalent to a surface formed by rotating a concave curve 360°

about an axis coincident with said longitudinal axis, causing the diverted, reflected light to be somewhat longitudinally as well as radially arrayed about said longitudinal axis, light coming in from said second end flowing through said light pipe section being angularly diverted to the exterior of said light diverting section by said light diverting surface with respect to said longitudinal axis in an at least generally radial array about said longitudinal axis, allowing the diverted, reflected light to be clearly viewed from many locations located around and to some degree above said light diverting section.

19. The remote automotive indicator light diverter system of claim 18,

wherein said light diverting section forms a cylindrical button on top of said light pipe section, which itself is cylindrical but which has an outer diameter less than the outer diameter of said button, forming a shoulder area therebetween.

20. The remote automotive indicator light diverter system of claim 18,

wherein said light pipe section and said light diverting section are injection molded integrally together of a transparent, plastic material;

and

wherein said button has a thickness of the order of about 4 mm and an outer diameter of the order of about 8.75 mm, the concave curve for the exterior, interiorly reflective surface has a radius of the order of about 18.80 mm, and said light pipe section has an outer diameter of the order of about 5.5 mm.