Tail lamp for an automotive vehicle using an elongated hyperbolic cylinder

• US 5,692,827 A
• Filed: 03/01/1996
• Issued: 12/02/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Chinniah, Jeyachandrabose, Wasilewski, Alfred, Patel, Balvantrai G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SPARK, MATTHEW J
• Application Number:
  US08/607,547
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 362/61, 362/336, 362/337, 362/338, 362/339, 362/340, 362/80.1, 362/83.3, 362/80, 362/800, 362/223, 362/263, 315/246
• US Class Current: 362/522
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/26 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/2202 Reconstruction geometries or arrangements

Abstract

A rear lighting system includes an elongated light source emitting light and a solid lens having an inner surface comprised of a hyperbolic cylinder, said hyperbolic cylinder having a first focal line and a second focal line and a cylinder length. The first focal line is coincident with the light source and the outer surface is comprised of a generally planar shape perpendicular to the horizontal plane and the vertical plane.

Claims

1. A lighting system for an automotive vehicle having a front portion, a rear portion, a horizontal plane and a vertical plane perpendicular to said horizontal plane and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle, said lighting system comprising:

an elongated light source emitting light and mounted within the rear portion of the vehicle; and

an elongated solid lens, longitudinally rearward of the elongated light source, having an inner, light source facing, hyperbolic surface with a curvature toward the light source, the inner surface having a focal line coincident with said light source, and an outward facing surface with a plurality of planar stepped surfaces, positioned to decrease a thickness of the solid lens, perpendicular to said horizontal plane and said vertical plane.

2. A lighting system as recited in claim 1 wherein said outer surface has fluting formed on said planar stepped surfaces for redirecting light.

3. A lighting system as recited in claim 1 wherein said outer surface has holographic film formed on said planar stepped surfaces for redirecting light.

4. A lighting system as recited in claim 1 wherein said light source has a generally uniform distribution of light over its length.

5. A lighting system as recited in claim 1 wherein said fluting formed of cylinders having predetermined radii.

6. A lighting system as recited in claim 4 wherein said light source is a neon tube.

7. A lighting system as recited in claim 4 wherein said light source is a row of light emitting diodes.

8. A lighting system for an automotive vehicle having a front portion, a rear portion, a horizontal plane and a vertical plane perpendicular to said horizontal plane and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle, said lighting system comprising:

an elongated light source emitting light and mounted within the rear portion of the vehicle; and

an elongated solid lens, longitudinally rearward of the elongated light source, having an inner, light source facing, hyperbolic surface with a curvature toward the light source, the inner surface having a focal line coincident with said elongated light source and an outward facing surface with a plurality of generally planar stepped surfaces with fluting disposed thereon so as to provide a small package depth while providing a uniform light distribution.