Lamp masking method and apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A headlamp assembly comprising:
- a headlamp light source for emitting light from the headlamp assembly;
a source housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the headlamp light source 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 and which when electrically energized alters the light transmitted from the light source to the illumination zone;
said coating material comprising reverse mode PDLC material, said reverse mode PDLC material being more light transmissive when not energized and more opaque when energized to alter the amount of light transmitted from the source 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.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A motor vehicle lamp assembly (10) having a lamp bulb (12) for emitting light and a bulb housing (14) having a light transmissive portion (16) for transmitting light from the lamp bulb to an illumination zone. The housing is coated with a coating material (60), which covers a selected region (32, 34, 36) 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 (30) electrically coupled to the coating material energizes the coating material to control a light output from the lamp assembly.
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Citations
57 Claims
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1. A headlamp assembly comprising:
- a headlamp light source for emitting light from the headlamp assembly;
a source housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the headlamp light source 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 and which when electrically energized alters the light transmitted from the light source to the illumination zone;
said coating material comprising reverse mode PDLC material, said reverse mode PDLC material being more light transmissive when not energized and more opaque when energized to alter the amount of light transmitted from the source 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, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- a headlamp light source for emitting light from the headlamp assembly;
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12. A process for constructing a headlamp assembly comprising:
- positioning a headlamp light source that emits light within a headlamp housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the headlamp light source to an illumination zone, applying a coating material to the housing to cover selected regions of the light transmissive portion;
wherein the coating material comprises a reverse mode PDLC material such that the reverse mode PDLC material is more light transmissive when not energized and more opaque when energized to alter the amount of light transmitted from the light source to the illumination zone; and
coupling the coating material to a drive circuit for selectively energizing the coating material which when electrically energized alters light transmitted from the light source to the illumination zone. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
- positioning a headlamp light source that emits light within a headlamp housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the headlamp light source to an illumination zone, applying a coating material to the housing to cover selected regions of the light transmissive portion;
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20. A motor vehicle lamp assembly comprising:
- a lamp light source for emitting light from the lamp assembly;
a source housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the lamp source to an illumination zone, a portion of said source housing including a coating material which covers a selected region of the light transmissive portion of the housing and which when electrically energized alters the light transmitted from the source to the illumination zone;
said coating material comprising reverse mode PDLC material, said reverse mode PDLC material being more light transmissive when not energized and more opaque when energized to alter the 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 (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
- a lamp light source for emitting light from the lamp assembly;
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32. The apparatus of 22 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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38. A process for constructing a motor vehicle lamp assembly comprising:
- positioning a lamp light source that emits light within a lamp housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the lamp source to an illumination zone, mounting a coating material in relation to the lamp housing to cover selected regions of the light transmissive portion;
wherein said coating material comprises reverse mode PDLC material which is more light transmissive when not energized and more opaque when energized to alter the amount of 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 controls light characteristics transmitted from the lamp source to the illumination zone. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 42, 43, 44)
- positioning a lamp light source that emits light within a lamp housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the lamp source to an illumination zone, mounting a coating material in relation to the lamp housing to cover selected regions of the light transmissive portion;
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41. The process of 38 herein the coating material is affixed to the light transmissive portion of lamp housing with electrically conductive adhesive material to enable the drive circuit to be electrically coupled to the coating material.
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45. A process for operating a motor vehicle lamp comprising:
- positioning a lamp light source that emits light within a lamp housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the lamp light source to an illumination zone, mounting a coating material in relation to the lamp housing to cover selected regions of the light transmissive portion;
wherein said coating material comprises reverse mode PDLC material that is more light transmissive when not energized and more opaque when energized to alter the amount of light transmitted from the bulb to the illumination zone;
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 to alter light transmitted from the light source to the illumination zone. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47)
- positioning a lamp light source that emits light within a lamp housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the lamp light source to an illumination zone, mounting a coating material in relation to the lamp housing to cover selected regions of the light transmissive portion;
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48. A headlamp assembly comprising:
- a headlamp light source for emitting light from the headlamp assembly;
a source housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the headlamp light source 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 and which when electrically energized alters the light transmitted from the light source to the illumination zone;
wherein a dye is incorporated into said coating material to alter a color of said light transmissive portion of said housing; 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 (49)
- a headlamp light source for emitting light from the headlamp assembly;
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50. A process for constructing a headlamp assembly comprising:
- positioning a headlamp light source that emits light within a headlamp housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the headlamp light source to an illumination zone, applying a coating material to the housing to cover selected regions of the light transmissive portion;
wherein a dye is incorporated into said coating material to alter the color of said light transmissive portion of said housing; and
coupling the coating material to a drive circuit for selectively energizing the coating material which when electrically energized alters light transmitted from the light source to the illumination zone. - View Dependent Claims (51)
- positioning a headlamp light source that emits light within a headlamp housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the headlamp light source to an illumination zone, applying a coating material to the housing to cover selected regions of the light transmissive portion;
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52. A motor vehicle lamp assembly comprising:
- a lamp light source for emitting light from the lamp assembly;
a source housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the lamp source to an illumination zone, a portion of said source housing including a coating material which covers a selected region of the light transmissive portion of the housing and which when electrically energized alters the light transmitted from the source to the illumination zone;
wherein a dye is incorporated into said coating material to alter the color of said light transmissive portion of said housing;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 (53)
- a lamp light source for emitting light from the lamp assembly;
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54. A process for constructing a motor vehicle lamp assembly comprising:
- 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;
incorporating a dye into said coating material to alter the color of said light transmissive portion of said housing; and
coupling the coating material to a drive circuit for selectively energizing the coating material which when electrically controls light characteristics transmitted from the bulb to the illumination zone. - View Dependent Claims (55)
- 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;
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56. A process for operating a motor vehicle lamp comprising:
- positioning a lamp light source that emits light within a lamp housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the lamp light source to an illumination zone, mounting a coating material in relation to the lamp housing to cover selected regions of the light transmissive portion;
wherein a dye is incorporated into said coating material to alter the color of said light transmissive portion of said housing;
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 to alter light transmitted from the light source to the illumination zone. - View Dependent Claims (57)
- positioning a lamp light source that emits light within a lamp housing having a light transmissive portion for transmitting light from the lamp light source to an illumination zone, mounting a coating material in relation to the lamp housing to cover selected regions of the light transmissive portion;
Specification