Indicating light with homogeneous illumination, including smooth zones

• US 6,264,347 B1
• Filed: 08/13/1999
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Gasquet, Jean Claude, Godbillon, Vincent, Montelymard, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): WARD, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US09/374,416
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 362/520, 362/521, 362/522, 362/331, 362/327, 362/328, 362/332, 362/339, 359/742
• US Class Current: 362/331
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/26 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255

Abstract

A rear indicating light for a motor vehicle comprises a light source, a bonnet in front of the light source, and an optical plate in front of the bonnet. The bonnet has means for distributing essentially uniformly the radiation it receives from the light source, over at least part of the surface of the flat optical plate, which is formed with striations to align the radiation along the optical axis. These striations are grouped in at least one discrete zone on the surface of the plate, the remainder of this surface consisting of at least one optically neutral zone, while the distributing means are adapted to distribute at least some of the radiation from the light source towards the discrete striated zones.

Claims

1. An indicating light defining an optical axis and comprising:

a light source;

a bonnet in front of the light source; and

an optical plate in front of the bonnet, the optical plate having a light receiving surface facing the bonnet, the bonnet having distributing means for distributing radiation received by the bonnet from the light source, substantially uniformly over at least part of the said surface of the optical plate, the optical plate having striations on said surface for aligning the radiation received from the bonnet in the direction of the optical axis, wherein the striations on the optical plate are grouped in at least one discrete zone thereby defined on the said surface, the remainder of the said surface comprising at least one optically neutral zone, the said distribution means being adapted to direct at least part of the radiation received from the light source towards the said discrete striated zones.

2. A light according to claim 1, wherein the said distribution means are adapted to pass substantially all of the radiation from the light source only towards the said at least one striated discrete zone of the optical plate.

3. A light according to claim 1, further including a reflector disposed behind the optical plate for reflecting part of the radiation from the light source towards the optical plate.

4. A light according to claim 3, wherein the said reflector is adapted to send substantially all of the radiation from the light source towards the said at least one optically neutral zone of the optical plate.

5. A light according to claim 1, wherein the optical plate constitutes a closure glass of the light.

6. A light according to claim 1, wherein the said at least one optically neutral zone of the optical plate is smooth.

7. A light according to claim 1, wherein the said at least one optically neutral zone of the optical plate comprises surfaces of a reduced curvature such as to enable the depth of the indicating light behind the optical plate to be perceived visually from outside.

8. A light according to claim 1, wherein the optical plate includes a plurality of optically neutral zones disposed alternatively with striated zones.