Reading light for a vehicle interior

• US 6,461,024 B1
• Filed: 12/19/2000
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hella Aerospace GmbH (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hella Aerospace GmbH (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Becker, Stefan, Schulz, Rico, Hessling-Von Heimendahl, Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Guiyoung
• Application Number:
  US09/739,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20020034076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 362/490, 362/479, 362/483, 362/545, 362/521, 362/522, 362/226, 362/800, 362/98, 362/335, 362/336, 362/187, 362/188
• US Class Current: 362/331
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/51 for mounting lighting devices onto vehicle interior, e.g. onto ceiling or floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/76 for spotlighting, e.g. reading lamps spotlighting on or for specific fittings B60Q3/20; spotlighting in mass transit vehicles B60Q3/44
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/008 Combination of two or more successive refractors along an optical axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/045 the lens having discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2106/00 Interior vehicle lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A reading light for a vehicle interior having a light source arranged in a light fixture housing and a lens covering the housing opening and placed in front of the light source in the direction of its light emission. The reading light system includes a second lens and a first lens between the light source and the second lens.

Claims

1. A reading light, comprising:

a light source arranged in a housing;

a first lens having a first focal point; and

a second lens having a second focal point,

wherein said first and second lenses in this order are arranged in front of the light source in the direction of light emission, said first and second focal points being coincident, and

wherein said light source comprises at least one light emitting diode and is arranged between the coincident position of said first and second focal points and said first lens in the direction of light emission.

2. The reading light according to claim 1, wherein said light source is a light-emitting diode.

3. The reading light according to claim 1, wherein said first lens is a convergent lens.

4. The reading according to claim 3, wherein the convergent lens is designed as a plano-convex lens with a free-form area.

5. The reading light according to claim 1, wherein said second lens is a Fresnel lens.

6. The reading light according to claim 1, wherein said second lens is a biconvex lens.

7. The reading light according to claim 2, wherein said light-emitting diode has a light-emitting diode housing with two pins being electrical contact points, wherein said two pins are capable of receiving a plug carrying an electrical voltage.

8. The reading light according to claim 7, wherein said plug seals a rear side of the housing.

9. The reading light according to claim 1, wherein the first and second lenses are affixed to said housing so that their positions cannot be adjusted relative to said housing and each other.

10. The reading light according to claim 9, wherein said first and second lenses are the only lenses.

11. The reading light according to claim 1, wherein said first and second lenses are the only lenses.

12. The reading light according to claim 1, wherein the light source is affixed to said hosing so that its position cannot be adjusted relative to said housing and to said first and second lenses.