Optical fiber illumination device

• US 5,400,225 A
• Filed: 10/06/1993
• Issued: 03/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joseph E. Currie
• Original Assignee: Joseph E. Currie
• Inventors: Currie, Joseph E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US08/132,341
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 362/80.1, 362/237, 362/32, 362/61, 362/80, 340/479, 340/468
• US Class Current: 362/554
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0011 with light guides for distributing the light between several lighting or signalling devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/302 mounted in the vicinity, e.g. in the middle, of a rear window
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/32 for indicating vehicle sides , e.g. clearance lights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/326 on or for wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/247 with a single light source being coupled into the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/251 the light guides being used to transmit light from remote light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0005 the light guides being of the fibre type G02B6/0003 takes precedence

Abstract

An optical fiber illumination device is disclosed. The optical fiber illumination device includes at least one optical fiber cable, one or more light sources for introducing light into the optical fiber cable, a lens through which light from each light source passes prior to entering the optical fiber cable for producing a colored light, electrical circuitry for energizing the light source, and a housing for containing the circuitry and the light source. A first light source is energized by a first power source. Light emitted from the first light source passes through a first lens which possesses a desire filtering characteristic. Upon application of the second power source, a first control device disable the first light source. Moreover, the second power source may energize a second light source which passes through a second lens having a filtering characteristic distinct from that of the first lens. Upon application of a third power source, a second control device disables the first control device.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle illumination device comprising:

a first illumination assembly, said assembly including;

at least one optical fiber cable, said optical fiber cable having a first input and a second input;

a first light source arranged adjacent to said first input, said first light source energized by a first electric circuit;

a first lens interposed between said first light source and said first input, said first lens possessing a first filtering characteristic;

a second light source arranged adjacent to said second input, said second light source energized by a second electric circuit;

a second lens interposed between said second light source and said second input, said second lens possessing a second filtering characteristic distinguishable from said first filtering characteristic;

a light source box surrounding said first and second inputs of said optical fiber cable, said first and second light sources, and said first and second lenses;

a first control means for disabling said first light source, said first control means being responsive to said second electric circuit; and

said at least one optical fiber cable defines a continuous loop about a periphery of a motor vehicle window.

2. The motor vehicle illumination device according to claim 1, wherein said first electric circuit is a parking light circuit of a motor vehicle;

and

said first light source is energized when the parking light circuit of the motor vehicle is activated.

3. The motor vehicle illumination device according to claim 2, wherein said second electric circuit is a brake light circuit of a motor vehicle;

and

said second light source is energized when the brake light circuit of the motor vehicle is activated, and said first control means disables said first light source when the brake light circuit of the motor vehicle is activated.

4. The motor vehicle illumination device according to claim 3, further comprising a second control means for disabling said first light source, said second control means being responsive to a third electric circuit.

5. The motor vehicle illumination device according to claim 4, wherein said third electric circuit is a directional signal circuit of a motor vehicle;

and

said second control means disables said first light source when the directional signal circuit of the motor vehicle is activated;

whereby said first light source is disabled when a directional signal light of the motor vehicle is activated, and said first light source is not disabled when a directional signal light of the motor vehicle is deactivated.

6. The motor vehicle illumination device according to claim 5, further comprising a fan for cooling said first illumination assembly, said fan energized by said first and said second electric circuits.

7. The motor vehicle illumination device according to claim 6, wherein said first and second light sources are halogen lamps.

8. The motor vehicle illumination device according to claim 6, wherein said first and second lenses are dichroic lenses.

9. The motor vehicle illumination device according to claim 4, further comprising a second illumination assembly housed within said light source box;

said second illumination assembly having at least one optical fiber cable having first and second inputs, a first and second light source energized by said first and said second electric circuits respectively, a first and second lens; and

having a configuration substantially identical to said first illumination assembly;

wherein each of said optical cables of said first illumination assembly and said second illumination assembly has an output end, said output end sealed to prevent the escape of light therefrom.

10. The motor vehicle illumination device according to claim 9,

wherein said third electric circuit is a directional signal circuit of a motor vehicle;

and

said first light source of said first and second illumination assemblies is energized when the parking light circuit of the motor vehicle is activated;

said second light source of said first and second illumination assemblies is energized when the brake light circuit of the motor vehicle is activated; and

said first control means disables said first light source of said first and second illumination assemblies when the brake light circuit of the motor vehicle is activated; and

said second control means disables said first light source of each of said first and second illumination assemblies when the directional signal circuit of the motor vehicle is activated;

whereby said first light source of each of said first and second illumination assemblies is disabled when a directional signal light of the motor vehicle is activated, and said first light source of each of said first and second illumination assemblies is not disabled when a directional signal light of the motor vehicle is deactivated.

11. The motor vehicle illumination device according to claim 10, wherein the directional signal circuit of the motor vehicle has a right turn-indicating means and a left turn-indicating means;

and said periphery of the motor vehicle window has a right side and a left side, each of said right and left sides encompassing mutually exclusive 180 degree regions of said periphery, said right and left sides converging at a line coplanar to an axial midline along the length of the motor vehicle;

said optical fiber cable of said first illumination assembly defining a loop about one of said right or left sides of said periphery;

said optical fiber cable of said second illumination assembly defining a loop about one of said right or left sides of said periphery not defined by said optical fiber cable of said first illumination assembly;

whereby a continuous loop of fiber optical cable encircles said periphery of the motor vehicle window.

12. The motor vehicle illumination device according to claim 11,

wherein said optical fiber cable defining said right side of said periphery is responsive to the right turn-indicating means of the directional signal circuit, and said optical fiber cable defining said left side of said periphery is responsive to the left turn-indicating means of the directional signal circuit;

and

said second control means disables said first light source of said first and second illumination assemblies when said right-turn indicating means and said left-turn indicating means are activated, respectively.

13. The motor vehicle illumination device according to claim 11,

wherein said first and said second control means cooperate such that when the brake light circuit of the motor vehicle is activated simultaneously with either the right-turn indicating means or the left-turn indicating means in each of said first and second illumination assemblies whose fiber optic cables define said right side and said left side of said periphery, respectively,

said first light source is activated and said second light source is disabled when a directional signal of the motor vehicle is activated, and said first light source is disabled and said second light source not disabled when the directional signal of the motor vehicle is deactivated;

one of said illumination assemblies being responsive to the right-turn indicating means, the other of said illumination assemblies being responsive to the left-turn indicating means, each of said illumination assemblies responding in an identical fashion.

14. The motor vehicle illumination device according to claim 13, wherein said first and second light sources are halogen lamps.

15. The motor vehicle illumination device according to claim 13, wherein said first and second lenses are dichroic lenses.

16. The motor vehicle illumination device according to claim 9, further comprising a fan for cooling said first illumination assembly, said fan energized by said first and said second electric circuits.