Lamp masking method and apparatus
First Claim
1. A headlamp assembly comprising:
- a headlamp bulb for emitting light from the headlamp assembly;
a bulb housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the headlamp bulb to an illumination zone, a portion of said housing coated with a coating material which covers a selected region of the light transmissive portion of the housing, wherein the coating material is comprised of a material that is more light transmissive when not energized and more opaque when energized to alter an amount of light transmitted from the bulb to the illumination zone; and
a drive circuit electrically coupled to the coating material for selectively energizing the coating material and thereby controlling a light output from the headlamp assembly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A motor vehicle lamp assembly having a lamp bulb for emitting light and a bulb housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the lamp bulb to an illumination zone. The housing is coated with a coating material which covers a selected region of the light transmissive portion of the housing. The coating material is electrically energized to alter an amount of light transmitted from the bulb to the illumination zone. A drive circuit electrically coupled to the coating material energizes the coating material to control a light output from the lamp assembly. Alternate materials are disclosed. One of the materials renders the material more light transmissive when activated with a current and a second of the materials renders the material less light transmissive when activated with a current.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A headlamp assembly comprising:
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a headlamp bulb for emitting light from the headlamp assembly;
a bulb housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the headlamp bulb to an illumination zone, a portion of said housing coated with a coating material which covers a selected region of the light transmissive portion of the housing, wherein the coating material is comprised of a material that is more light transmissive when not energized and more opaque when energized to alter an amount of light transmitted from the bulb to the illumination zone; and
a drive circuit electrically coupled to the coating material for selectively energizing the coating material and thereby controlling a light output from the headlamp assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
a) a user interface including a switch selector;
b) a programmable controller for responding to the setting of the switch selector to produce a set of driver outputs; and
c) a driver circuit coupled to the coating material to apply an alternating signal to the coating material to alter the light transmissive characteristics of said coating material.
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6. The head lamp assembly of claim 1 wherein the drive circuit includes a control output for adjusting a level of light transmission from the bulb through a region of said coating material at a high level of light transmission, a low level of light transmission, and at least one intermediate level of light transmission.
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7. The head lamp assembly of claim 6 wherein the drive circuit includes a programmable controller that selectively controls a pulse width modulating signal output from the controller for adjusting the light transmission level of an associated region of said coating material.
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8. A process for constructing a headlamp assembly comprising:
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positioning a headlamp bulb that emits light within a headlamp housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the headlamp bulb to an illumination zone;
applying a coating material to the housing to cover selected regions of the light transmissive portion; and
coupling the coating material to a drive circuit for selectively energizing the coating material, which when electrically energized, renders a region of the light transmissive portion having the coating material less light transmissive to alter light transmitted from the bulb to the illumination zone. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A motor vehicle lamp assembly comprising:
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a lamp bulb for emitting light from the lamp assembly;
a bulb housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the lamp bulb to an illumination zone, a portion of said bulb housing including a coating material which covers a selected region of the light transmissive portion of the housing and wherein the coating material is comprised of a PDLC material said which is more light transmissive when not energized and more opaque when energized to alter an amount of light transmitted from the bulb to the illumination zone; and
a drive circuit electrically coupled to the coating material for selectively energizing the coating material and thereby controlling a light output from the lamp assembly. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22)
a) a user interface including a switch selector;
b) a programmable controller for responding to the setting of the switch selector to produce a set of driver outputs; and
c) a driver circuit coupled to the coating material to apply an alternating signal to the coating material to alter the light transmissive characteristics of said coating material.
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22. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the drive circuit includes a control output for adjusting a level of light transmission through a region of said coating material and an input for monitoring whether a motor vehicle engine is running and further wherein the drive circuit controls the level of light transmission based on an operating state of said motor vehicle engine.
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20. The apparatus of 16 wherein the driver circuit includes a programmable controller coupled to an output circuit that causes the multiple regions to exhibit one of two light transmissive states, a relatively high light transmissive state and a relatively low light transmissive state.
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23. A motor vehicle lamp assembly comprising:
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a lamp bulb for emitting light from the lamp assembly;
a bulb housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the lamp bulb to an illumination zone;
a cap attached to the bulb housing that includes a light transmitting cap portion between the lamp bulb and the illumination zone which supports a coating material which when electrically energized alters an amount of light transmitted from the bulb to the illumination zone, said material comprising a PDLC material that is more light transmissive when not energized and is more opaque when energized;
said cap spacing the coating material a distance from the bulb to control heat transfer from the bulb to the coating material; and
a drive circuit electrically coupled to the coating material for selectively energizing the coating material and thereby controlling a light output from the lamp assembly.
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24. A process for constructing a motor vehicle lamp assembly comprising:
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positioning a lamp bulb that emits light within a lamp housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the lamp bulb to an illumination zone;
mounting a coating material in relation to the lamp housing to cover selected regions of the light transmissive portion wherein the coating material is comprised of a PDLC material which when energized renders a region of the light transmissive portion having the coating material less light transmissive to alter the light transmitted from the bulb to the illumination zone; and
coupling the coating material to a drive circuit for selectively energizing the coating material which when electrically energized renders a region of the light transmissive portion having the coating material less light transmissive to control light intensity transmitted from the bulb to the illumination zone. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. A process for operating a motor vehicle lamp comprising:
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positioning a lamp bulb that emits light within a lamp housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the lamp bulb to an illumination zone;
mounting a coating material in relation to the lamp housing to cover selected regions of the light transmissive portion wherein the coating material is comprised of a PDLC material which when selectively energized renders a region of the light transmissive portion having the coating material less light transmissive;
coupling the coating material to a drive circuit for controlling a light transmissive state of the coating material; and
selectively activating the drive circuit to energize the coating material and thereby render a region of the light transmissive portion having the coating material less light transmissive. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification