Color-changing bulb of instrument panel of a vehicle

• US 6,819,056 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2003
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yeoujyi Electronics Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yeoujyi Electronics Company Limited
• Inventors: Lin, Kuo-Fu
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Tuyet Thi
• Application Number:
  US10/413,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20040207334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 315/185.S, 315/200.A, 315/312, 315/324, 315/56-58, 315/77, 315/82, 315/185.R, 315/360, 362/806, 362/808, 362/800, 362/812, 362/363, 362/372, 362/807, 362/377, 362/378, 362/362
• US Class Current: 315/185.00S
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/23 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with a single fitting for each light source, e.g. for substitution of incandescent lamps with bayonet or threaded fittings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/00 Globes; Bowls; Cover glasses with refracting properties F21V5/00; with reflecting properties F21V7/00; characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/506
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/17 forming a single encapsulated light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/395 Linear regulators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/806 Ornamental or decorative
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/808 Figure

Abstract

A color-changing bulb for an instrument panel of a vehicle, which is made as a bulb and directly installable in a bulb seat of the instrument panel is provided. The color-changing bulb includes a bulb housing defining a receiving space for receiving a light emitting diode and a circuit board. The light emitting diode includes three-color LED chips for generating red, green and blue light components. A controlling circuit is disposed on the circuit board and connected with the light emitting diode for driving the three-color LED chips to emit light. By use of a brightness adjustment switch on the instrument panel or the headlight switch, at least seven combinations of colors of light can be variably emitted to provide illuminating effect.

Claims

1. A color-changing bulb for an instrument panel of a vehicle, which is installable in a bulb seat of the instrument panel, the color-changing bulb comprising:

a bulb housing having a transparent cover on upper side and defining a receiving space, a lower side of the housing being connected with a conductive seat, the bulb housing being mountable in the bulb seat with the conductive seat electrically connected with a power supply in the bulb seat;

a light emitting diode including multicolor light emitting chips and positioned in the receiving space of the bulb housing; and

,

a circuit board positioned in the receiving space of the bulb housing, a controlling circuit being disposed on the circuit board and connected with the light emitting diode for driving the multicolor light emitting chips of the light emitting diode to create multiple combinations of colors of light;

wherein the controlling circuit on the circuit board is connected to a brightness adjuster, the controlling circuit including;

a voltage sampling unit for picking up the varied voltage value adjusted by the brightness adjuster; and

an analog/digital converting unit having an analog input terminal connected with the voltage sampling unit and having multiple output terminals respectively connected with the multicolor light emitting chips of the light emitting diode, the analog/digital converting unit serving to convert the varied voltage value adjusted by the brightness adjuster into multi-bit digital signal for actuating the multicolor light emitting chips to create multiple combinations of colors of light.

2. A color-changing bulb for an instrument panel of a vehicle, which is installable in a bulb sent of the instrument panel, the color-changing bulb comprising:

a bulb housing having a transparent cover on upper side and defining a receiving space, a lower side of the housing being connected with a conductive seat, the bulb housing being mountable in the bulb seat with the conductive seat electrically connected with a power supply in the bulb seat;

a light emitting diode including multicolor light emitting chips and positioned in the receiving space of the bulb housing; and

,

a circuit board positioned in the receiving space of the bulb housing, a controlling circuit bring disposed on the circuit board and connected with the light emitting diode for driving the multicolor light emitting chips of the light emitting diode to create multiple combinations of colors of light;

wherein the controlling circuit on the circuit board includes;

a stabilizing unit for picking up the power in the bulb seat to supply the controlling circuit with necessary power;

a pulse generating unit for generating a pulse signal; and

a digital cycle outputting unit connected with the pulse generating unit and having multiple output terminals respectively connected with the multicolor light emitting chips of the light emitting diode, via the pulse signal of the pulse generating unit, the digital cycle outputting unit generating a cycling digital signal output for actuating the multicolor light emitting chips of the light emitting diode so as to create a circularly varied multicolor illumination effect.

3. A color-changing bulb for an instrument panel of a vehicle, which is installable in a bulb seat of the instrument panel, the color-changing bulb comprising:

a bulb housing having a transparent cover on upper side and defining a receiving space, a lower side of the housing being connected with a conductive seat, the bulb housing being mountable in the bulb seat with the conductive seat electrically connected with a power supply in the bulb seat;

a light emitting diode including multicolor light emitting chips and positioned in the receiving space of the bulb housing; and

,

a circuit board positioned in the receiving space of the bulb housing, a controlling circuit being disposed on the circuit board and connected with the light emitting diode for driving the multicolor light emitting chips of the light emitting diode to create multiple combinations of colors of light;

wherein the controlling circuit on the circuit board is electrically connected to a headlight switch, the controlling circuit including;

a stabilizing unit for picking up the power in the bulb seat to supply the controlling circuit with necessary power;

a memory unit for memorizing the number of times of switching of the headlight switch to generate a corresponding digital signal; and

a digital cycle outputting unit connected with the memory unit and having multiple output terminals respectively connected with the multicolor light emitting chips of the light emitting diode, in accordance with the digital signal generated by the memory unit corresponding to the number of times of switching of the headlight switch, the digital cycle outputting unit outputs to lighten the multicolor light emitting chips of the light emitting diode to variably emit multiple colors of light.