Taillight apparatus and method of making

• US 6,902,307 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2003
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Illume LLC
• Original Assignee: Illume LLC
• Inventors: Strazzanti, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alavi, Ali
• Application Number:
  US10/465,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20030206418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 362/464, 362/513, 362/541, 362/465, 362/466, 362/318, 315 82- 83, 427106-107
• US Class Current: 362/541
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/00 Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor for lighting vehicle interior B60Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/26 the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/20 Multi-color single source or LED matrix, e.g. yellow blinker and red brake lamp generated by single lamp
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/0208 Twisted Nematic (T.N.); Super Twisted Nematic (S.T.N.); Optical Mode Interference (O.M.I.)
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/542 Macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/60 Pleochroic dyes
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/645 by electro-optic means, e.g. liquid crystal or electrochromic devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/04 characterised by materials, surface treatments or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13306 Circuit arrangements or driving methods for the control of single liquid crystal cells G02F1/132, G02F1/133382 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13347 working in reverse mode, i.e. clear in the off-state and scattering in the on-state

Abstract

The present invention relates to a taillight assembly that includes a light source for emitting light and a light source enclosure having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the light source to an illumination zone. A portion of the enclosure includes a material that is affixed to selected regions of the light transmissive portion. By electrically energizing the material the light transmitting properties of the material can be altered for performing different taillight functions. A drive circuit is electrically coupled to the material in each region for selectively energizing the material and thereby controlling the functional light output of each region. All taillight functions can be accomplished by activating the bands on the light transmissive portion, including running light, brake light, reverse light, parking light and turning signal.

Claims

1. A taillight assembly comprising:

a light source for emitting light from said assembly;

a light source enclosure having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the light source to an illumination zone, a portion of said enclosure including a material which is fixed in relation to selected regions of the light transmissive portion of the enclosure and which when electrically energized to alter the light transmitting properties of the material for performing different taillight functions, and,

a drive circuit electrically coupled to the material in each region for selectively energizing the material and thereby controlling the functional light output of each region.

2. The taillight assembly of claim 1 wherein said material is molded into the light transmissive portion of the enclosure.

3. The taillight assembly of claim 1 wherein said material is affixed to the inner or outer surfaces of the light transmissive portion of the enclosure.

4. The taillight assembly according to claim 1 wherein the said material comprises liquid crystal material.

5. The taillight assembly according to claim 4 wherein said liquid crystal material is polymer stabilized technology (PST) liquid crystal.

6. The taillight assembly according to claim 4 including a polarized filter.

7. The taillight assembly of claim 4 wherein the liquid crystal material comprises dichroic dyes.

8. The taillight assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one region is layered with two or more portions of liquid crystal material which are electrically energized to adjust the light transmitting properties and function of the region.

9. The taillight assembly according to claim 1 wherein said functions include running light, brake light, reverse light parking light and turn signal light.

10. The taillight assembly of claim 1 wherein the regions comprise parallel bands or strips.

11. The taillight assembly of claim 1 wherein the drive circuit includes an interface for monitoring multiple inputs that control the light transmitting properties and function of the material.

12. The taillight assembly of claim 11 wherein said input is a brake pressure sensor which corresponds to the intensity of the light emitted during braking based on the pressure applied to the brake pedal by the motorist.

13. The taillight assembly of claim 1 wherein said light source comprises a first filament and a second filament, wherein said first filament emits low-level light output for low-level light functions and said second filament emits high-level light output for high level light functions.

14. The taillight assembly of claim 1 wherein the light transmitting portion of the enclosure comprises inner and outer layers and wherein the material is supported between the inner and outer layers of the light transmitting portion.

15. The taillight assembly of claim 14 wherein the material comprises distinct regions that are individually energized by conductors that are routed between the inner and outer layers of the light transmitting portion of the enclosure.

16. The taillight assembly of claim 1 wherein the material is supported by a separate enclosure cap that positions the material a spaced distance from the light transmitting portion of the enclosure to reduce heat transfer to the material from a light source within the enclosure.

17. The taillight assembly of claim 1 wherein the material is attached to the light transmitting portion of the enclosure with an adhesive material.

18. The taillight assembly of claim 17 wherein the adhesive material is a conductive adhesive that forms a portion of a conductive path between the drive circuit and the material.

19. The taillight of claim 1 wherein the drive circuit comprises:

a user interface including a switch selector;

a programmable controller for responding to the setting of the switch selector to produce a set of driver outputs; and

a driver circuit coupled to the material to apply an alternating signal to the material to alter the light transmitting properties and function of the coating material.

20. The taillight assembly of claim 19 wherein the drive circuit includes a control output for adjusting a level and function of light transmission through a region of the material depending upon an activation state of the light source.

21. The taillight assembly of claim 19 wherein the driver circuit applies a direct current (DC) signal output for adjusting the light transmission level of an associated region of the material.

22. A taillight assembly comprising:

a light source for emitting light from said assembly, said light source comprising a first filament and a second filament, wherein said first filament emits low-level light output for low level light functions and said second filament emits high-level light output for high level light functions;

a light source enclosure having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the light source to an illumination zone, a portion of said enclosure including a material which fixed in relation to selected regions of the light transmissive portion of the enclosure and which when electrically energized alters the light transmissive properties of the material for performing different taillight functions; and

,

a drive circuit electrically coupled to the material in each region for selectively energizing the material and thereby controlling the functional light output of each region.

23. The taillight assembly according to claim 22 wherein the said material comprises liquid crystal material.

24. The taillight assembly according to claim 23 wherein said liquid crystal material is polymer stabilized technology (PST) liquid crystal.

25. The taillight assembly of claim 22 wherein at least one region is layered with two or more portions of liquid crystal material which are electrically energized to adjust the light transmitting properties and function of the region.

26. The taillight assembly of claim 22 wherein the drive circuit includes an interface for monitoring multiple inputs that control the light transmitting properties and function of the material.

27. The taillight assembly of claim 26 wherein said inputs include a brake pressure sensor which corresponds to the intensity of the light emitted during braking based on the pressure applied to the brake pedal by the motorist.

28. A process for constructing a taillight assembly comprising:

positioning a light source that emits light within an enclosure having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the light source to an illumination zone;

fixing a material in relation to the enclosure and selected regions of the light transmissive portion, and

coupling the material to a drive circuit for selectively energizing the material which when electrically energized alters the light transmitting properties of the material for performing different taillight functions.

29. The process of claim 28 wherein the material is coupled to the light transmissive portion in layers that are isolated from each other to allow independent energization of overlapping layers of said material.

30. The process of claim 28 wherein the material is organized in multiple sections across a surface of said light transmissive portion of the headlamp assembly, wherein each section of material is coupled to the drive circuit independently to allow independent control over the light transmitting characteristics and function of said sections during operation of the taillight assembly.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein there are multiple sections of material applied to the light transmissive portion of the assembly are coupled to the drive circuit to independently control the light transmissive states and function of the sections to provide a running light, reverse light, parking light, brake light, and turn signal light.

32. The method of claim 30 additionally comprising providing an user interface for monitoring multiple inputs that control the light transmissive state and function of the multiple bands.

33. The method of claim 28 wherein energizing of the material is performed by providing a pulse width modulating signal for adjusting a light transmission state and function of an associated section of said material.