Automotive lighting assembly with decreased operating temperature

• US 7,093,965 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RV Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: RV Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Veldman, Roger L
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ton, Anabel
• Application Number:
  US10/190,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20030007357A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 362/474, 362/494, 362/543, 362/544, 362/545, 362/230, 362/231, 362/135, 362/140, 362/141, 362/293, 362/294, 362/345, 362/151, 362/144, 362/551, 313/113
• US Class Current: 362/494
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/258 Rear-view mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/24 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/28 characterised by coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/04 for filtering out infrared radiation dichroic reflectors F21V7/22; using liquid-filled chambers F21V9/12

Abstract

A lighting assembly for an interior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes an illumination source, a reflective element and a lens. The illumination source is operable to radiate radiation including visible radiation and infrared radiation. The radiation from the illumination source impinges on the reflective element. The reflective element reflects reflected radiation toward the lens. The reflective element is adapted to at least partially transmit the infrared radiation so that reduced reflection of the infrared radiation occurs toward the lens. The lens may include an optical element which functions to substantially transmit the visible radiation through the optical element and the lens while at least partially reflecting the infrared radiation generally away from the lens.

Claims

1. A lighting assembly for a vehicle, said lighting assembly comprising:

an illumination source which is operable to radiate radiation including visible radiation and infrared radiation;

a reflective element at least partially surrounding said illumination source, said radiation from said illumination source impinging on said reflective element; and

a lens, said reflective element reflecting reflected radiation toward said lens, said reflective element being adapted to at least partially transmit said infrared radiation through said reflective element so that reduced reflection of said infrared radiation occurs toward said lens in order to provide a reduced operating temperature at said lens, wherein said reflective element comprises a substrate which at least partially transmits infrared radiation of spectral content of greater than approximately 800 nanometers, wherein said reflective element is adapted to reflect at least approximately 45 percent of said visible radiation within a range of approximately 300 to 750 nanometers toward said lens.

2. The lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein said reflective element is adapted to reflect at least approximately 55 percent of said visible radiation within a range of approximately 300 to 750 nanometers toward said lens.

3. The lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein said reflective element is adapted to reflect at least approximately 65 percent of said visible radiation within a range of approximately 300 to 750 nanometers toward said lens.

4. The lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein said illumination source comprises at least one of an incandescent bulb and a light emitting diode.

5. The lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein said illumination source comprises an incandescent bulb.

6. A lighting assembly for a vehicle, said lighting assembly comprising:

an illumination source which is operable to radiate radiation including visible radiation and infrared radiation;

a reflective element at least partially surrounding said illumination source, said radiation from said illumination source impinging on said reflective element; and

a lens, said reflective element reflecting reflected radiation toward said lens, said reflective element being adapted to at least partially transmit said infrared radiation so that reduced reflection of said infrared radiation occurs toward said lens in order to provide a reduced operating temperature at said lens, wherein said lens includes an optical element which at least partially reflects said infrared radiation generally away from said lens.

7. The lighting assembly of claim 6, wherein said optical element substantially transmits said visible radiation through said optical element and said lens while at least partially reflecting said infrared radiation generally away from said lens.

8. A lighting assembly for a vehicle, said lighting assembly comprising:

an illumination source which is operable to radiate radiation including visible radiation and infrared radiation;

a reflective element at least partially surrounding said illumination source, said radiation from said illumination source impinging on said reflective element; and

a lens, said reflective clement reflecting reflected radiation toward said lens, said reflective element being adapted to at least partially transmit said infrared radiation so that reduced reflection of said infrared radiation occurs toward said lens in order to provide a reduced operating temperature at said lens, wherein said lens includes an optical element which at least partially reflects said infrared radiation generally away from said lens, wherein said optical element comprises a coating on a surface of said lens facing said illumination source and said reflective element.

9. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a mirror casing;

a mirror reflector at said casing;

at least one lighting assembly at said casing, said at least one lighting assembly comprising an illumination source, a reflective element at least partially surrounding said illumination source, and a lens, said illumination source being operable to radiate radiation including visible radiation and infrared radiation, said radiation from said illumination source impinging on said reflective element, said reflective element reflecting reflected radiation toward said lens, said reflective element being adapted to at least partially transmit said infrared radiation so that reduced reflection of said infrared radiation occurs toward said lens; and

a mirror mounting assembly for pivotally mounting said mirror casing to a vehicle.

10. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9, wherein said reflective element comprises a substrate which at least partially transmits infrared radiation of spectral content of greater than approximately 800 nanometers.

11. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein said reflective element is adapted to reflect at least approximately 45 percent of said visible radiation within a range of approximately 300 to 750 nanometers.

12. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein said reflective element is adapted to reflect at least approximately 55 percent of said visible radiation within a range of approximately 300 to 750 nanometers.

13. The interior rearview minor assembly of claim 10, wherein said reflective element is adapted to reflect at least approximately 65 percent of said visible radiation within a range of approximately 300 to 750 nanometers.

14. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9, wherein said illumination source comprises at least one of an incandescent bulb and a light emitting diode.

15. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9, wherein said illumination source comprises an incandescent bulb.

16. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9, wherein said lens includes an optical element which at least partially reflects said infrared radiation generally away from said lens.

17. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 16, wherein said optical element substantially transmits said visible radiation through said optical element and said lens while at least partially reflecting said infrared radiation generally away from said lens.

19. The interior rearview minor assembly of claim 9, wherein said reflective element is adapted to at least partially transmit said infrared radiation to an area remote from said lighting assembly.

18. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a mirror casing;

a mirror reflector at said casing;

at least one lighting assembly at said casing, said at least one lighting assembly comprising an illumination source, a reflective element at least partially surrounding said illumination source, and a lens, said illumination source being operable to radiate radiation including visible radiation and infrared radiation, said radiation from said illumination source impinging on said reflective element, said reflective element reflecting reflected radiation toward said lens, said reflective element being adapted to at least partially transmit said infrared radiation so that reduced reflection of said infrared radiation occurs toward said lens; and

a mirror mounting assembly for pivotally mounting said mirror casing to a vehicle, said lens including an optical element which at least partially reflects said infrared radiation generally away from said lens, wherein said optical element comprises a coating on a surface of said lens facing said illumination source and said reflective element.

20. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a mirror casing;

a mirror reflector at said casing;

at least one lighting assembly at said casing, said at least one lighting assembly comprising an illumination source, a reflective element at least partially surrounding said illumination source, and a lens, said illumination source being operable to radiate radiation including visible radiation and infrared radiation, said radiation from said illumination source impinging on said reflective element, said reflective element reflecting reflected radiation toward said lens, said reflective element being adapted to at least partially transmit said infrared radiation so that reduced reflection of said infrared radiation occurs toward said lens; and

a minor mounting assembly for pivotally mounting said miter casing to a vehicle, said reflective element being adapted to at least partially transmit said infrared radiation to an area remote from said lighting assembly, wherein said casing includes a vent area for venting heat from said at least partially transmitted infrared radiation.

21. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a mirror casing;

a mirror reflector at said casing;

at least one lighting assembly at said casing, said at least one lighting assembly comprising an illumination source, a reflective element at least partially surrounding said illumination source, and a lens, said illumination source being operable to radiate radiation including visible radiation and infrared radiation, said radiation from said illumination source impinging on said reflective element, said reflective clement reflecting reflected radiation toward said lens, said reflective element being adapted to at least partially transmit said infrared radiation so that reduced reflection of said infrared radiation occurs toward said lens; and

a mirror mounting assembly for pivotally mounting said minor casing to a vehicle, wherein said mirror reflector comprises an electrochromic minor reflector.

22. Art interior rearview minor assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a mirror casing;

a mirror reflector at said casing;

at least one lighting assembly at said casing, said at least one lighting assembly comprising an illumination source, a reflective element at least partially surrounding said illumination source, and a lens, said illumination source being operable to radiate radiation including visible radiation and infrared radiation, said radiation from said illumination source impinging on said reflective element, said reflective element reflecting reflected radiation toward said lens, said reflective element being adapted to at least partially transmit said infrared radiation so that reduced reflection of said infrared radiation occurs toward said lens; and

a mirror mounting assembly for pivotally mounting said mirror casing to a vehicle, wherein said mirror reflector comprises a prismatic mirror reflector.

23. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a mirror casing;

a mirror reflector at said casing;

at least one lighting assembly at said casing, said at least one lighting assembly comprising an illumination source, a reflective element at least partially surrounding said illumination source, and a lens, said illumination source being operable to radiate radiation including visible radiation and infrared radiation, said radiation from said illumination source impinging on said reflective element, said reflective element reflecting reflected radiation toward said lens, said reflective element being adapted to at least partially transmit said infrared radiation so that reduced reflection of said infrared radiation occurs toward said lens;

a mirror mourning assembly for pivotally mounting said mirror casing to a vehicle; and

at least one user actuatable button at said casing for actuating said illumination source.

24. The lighting assembly of claim 23, wherein said optical element comprises a coating on a surface of said lens facing said illumination source and said reflective element.

25. A lighting assembly for a vehicle, said lighting assembly comprising:

an illumination source which is operable to radiate radiation including visible radiation and infrared radiation;

a reflective element at least partially surrounding said illumination source, said radiation from said illumination source impinging on said reflective element; and

a lens, said reflective element reflecting reflected radiation toward said lens, said lens including an optical element which substantially transmits said visible radiation through said optical element and said lens while at least partially reflecting said infrared radiation generally away from said lens so that reduced transmission of said infrared radiation occurs through said lens in order to provide a reduced operating temperature at said lens, wherein said optical element reflects at least approximately 30 percent of said infrared radiation generally away from said lens.

26. The lighting assembly of claim 25, wherein said optical element transmits at least approximately 50 percent of said visible radiation from said illumination source through said optical element and said lens.

27. The lighting assembly of claim 25, wherein said optical element reflects at least approximately 50 percent or said infrared radiation generally away from said lens.

28. The lighting assembly of claim 25, wherein said optical element reflects at least approximately 70 percent of said infrared radiation generally away from said lens.

29. A lighting assembly for a vehicle, said lighting assembly comprising:

an illumination source which is operable to radiate radiation including visible radiation and infrared radiation;

a reflective element at least partially surrounding said illumination source, said radiation from said illumination source impinging on said reflective element; and

a lens, said reflective element reflecting reflected radiation toward said lens, said lens including an optical element which substantially transmits said visible radiation through said optical element and said lens while at least partially reflecting said infrared radiation generally away from said lens so that reduced transmission of said infrared radiation occurs through said lens in order to provide a reduced operating temperature at said lens, wherein said reflective element is adapted to at least partially transmit said infrared radiation so that reduced reflection of said infrared radiation occurs toward said lens.

30. The lighting assembly of claim 29, wherein said reflective element comprises a substrate which at least partially transmits infrared radiation of spectral content of greater than approximately 800 nanometers.

31. A lighting assembly for a vehicle, said lighting assembly comprising:

an illumination source which is operable to radiate radiation including visible radiation and infrared radiation;

a reflective clement at least partially surrounding said illumination source, said radiation from said illumination source impinging on said reflective element; and

a lens, said reflective element reflecting reflected radiation toward said lens, said lens including an optical element which substantially transmits said visible radiation through said optical element and said lens while at least partially reflecting said infrared radiation generally away from said lens so that reduced transmission of said infrared radiation occurs through said lens in order to provide a reduced operating temperature at said lens, wherein said illumination source comprises at least one of an incandescent bulb and a light emitting diode.

32. The lighting assembly of claim 31, wherein said illumination source comprises an incandescent bulb.

33. The lighting assembly of claim 31, wherein said lighting assembly is adapted for an interior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle.