Vehicle signal light

• US 5,373,280 A
• Filed: 08/27/1992
• Issued: 12/13/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Mauroy, Bernard, Louy, Jean-Francois
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US07/936,617
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/469, 340/468, 340/472, 340/478, 340/475, 340/479, 362/61, 362/80, 362/238, 362/240, 362/249, 362/226, 362/362, 362/373, 362/800, 362/83, 362/241, 362/245, 362/328, 362/307
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/15 Strips of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/13 the devices being of a type provided for in group H01L33/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

A vehicle signal light comprises a support element carrying electroluminescent elements on its front face, together with an optical collimating element. Each electroluminescent element has supply terminals and a semiconductor light source, the electrical supply circuit interconnecting the terminals being arranged on the rear face of the support element, and the latter being non-planar and so shaped to allow mounting of all of the electroluminescent elements in such a way that they are all oriented in the same inclined direction.

Claims

1. A signal light for a motor vehicle having an axial direction of travel comprising:

a support element having a front face and a rear face;

a plurality of electroluminescent elements carried on said front face of the support element, each of said electroluminescent elements including supply terminals and a semiconductor type light source;

an optical collimating element associated with the support element and said electroluminescent elements for collimating light emitted by said light sources; and

an electrical circuit carried by said support element for supplying and interconnecting said terminals, wherein the support element is non-planar and includes a plurality of mounting means for receiving the electroluminescent elements and directing the collimated light emitted by said light sources along parallel paths, said plurality of mounting means oriented in a common inclined direction and carrying the electroluminescent elements, said common inclined direction being inclined with respect to said axial direction of travel.

2. The signal light according to claim 1, wherein said of said mounting means includes an engagement surface formed on the front face of the support element and perpendicular to a respective parallel path.

3. The signal light according to claim 2, wherein each of said engagement surfaces are parallel to each other.

4. The signal light according to claim 3, wherein the support element defines a thickness that varies as between one of said engagement surface and another according to the shape of the signal light.

5. The signal light according to claim 2, wherein said mounting further include a plurality of locating ribs projecting from said engagement surfaces.

6. The signal light according to claim 5, further including fastening means securing the optical collimating element to the support element, with the electroluminescent elements being sandwiched between the support element and the collimating element.

7. The signal light according to claim 6, wherein the support element further includes a peripheral rib carried by said rear face, the peripheral rib being deeper than said terminals whereby to protect said terminals and the electrical circuit.

8. The signal light according to claim 7, wherein the fastening means include a plurality of stepped dowels projecting from the support element, each said dowel extending through the optical collimating element and having a free end projecting beyond the optical collimating element.

9. The signal light according to claim 7, wherein the support element is hollow and further includes a peripheral flange defining the contour of the support element, the flange being formed with a rebate, with said fastening means being formed in said rebate.

10. The signal light according to claim 9, wherein the rebate has a horizontal portion and the fastening means further include screws screwed into the flange through said horizontal portion of the rebate.

11. The signal light according to claim 6, wherein the support element further defines passages for mounting the supply terminals therein, said passages being parallel to said paths and being open at the engagement surfaces.

12. The signal light according to claim 6, wherein said electrical circuit is formed by silk screen printing on the rear face of the suppport element.

13. The signal light according to claim 6, further including a flexible film and an adhesive layer securing the flexible film on the rear face of the support element, said electrical circuit being formed on the flexible film.

14. The signal light according to claim 6, further including a transparent element coupled to the optical collimating element in said parallel paths.

15. The signal light according to claim 14, wherein the support element is hollow and has a first peripheral flange projecting outwardly from said suppport element, the transparent element also being hollow and having a second peripheral flange cooperating with the first peripheral flange.

16. The signal light according to claim 15, wherein said second flange is sealingly joined to said first flange.

17. The signal light according to claim 16, further including securing means carried by the rear face of the support element for securing the signal light to the bodywork of the vehicle.