Signaling assembly

• US 7,416,318 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2006
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Muth Mirror Systems LLC (K. W. Muth)
• Original Assignee: KW Muth Company
• Inventors: Mathieu, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong; Bao Q
• Application Number:
  US11/326,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20070153536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 362/494, 362/297, 362540-542, 362/545, 362/548, 362516-518, 362296-305, 362/492
• US Class Current: 362/492
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers

Abstract

A signaling assembly is described and which includes a semitransparent mirror; a reflector housing, defining a cavity, and which is juxtaposed relative to the semitransparent mirror; and an electromagnetic radiation emitter positioned in the reflector housing and which, when energized, predominantly emits visibly discernable electromagnetic radiation which travels substantially, laterally, outwardly relative to the emitter, and which is reflected by the reflector housing so as to subsequently pass through the semitransparent mirror to form a visibly discernable signal.

Claims

1. A signaling assembly comprising:

a semitransparent mirror having forward and rearward facing surfaces;

a substantially opaque masking layer which is borne by the rearward facing surface of the semitransparent mirror;

a reflector housing, defining a cavity, and which is juxtaposed relative to the rearward facing surface of the semitransparent mirror, and wherein the reflector housing defines an aperture which permits visibly discernable electromagnetic radiation to pass therethrough and wherein the opague masking layer partially occludes the aperture so as to prevent visibly discernable electromagnetic radiation to pass therethrough the semitransparent mirror,

an electromagnetic radiation emitter positioned within the cavity of the reflector housing and which, when energized, predominantly emits visibly discernable electromagnetic radiation which travels substantially, laterally, outwardly relative to the electromagnetic radiation emitter, and which is reflected by the reflector housing so as to subsequently pass through the semitransparent mirror to form a visibly discernable signal, the emitter resting in direct physical contact thereagainst the masking layer; and

a circuit board received within the cavity of the reflector housing and which electrically mounts the electromagnetic radiation emitter.

2. The signaling assembly of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation emitter comprises a base portion which is electrically mounted on the circuit board, and an emitter portion which is borne by the base portion, and wherein the emitter portion is substantially received within the reflector housing, and the base portion is positioned remotely relative to the reflector housing.

3. The signaling assembly of claim 2, wherein the reflector housing defines a second cavity which receives the base portion of the electromagnetic radiation emitter, and wherein the base portion includes a heat sink which radiates heat energy generated by the electromagnetic radiation emitter when the electromagnetic radiation emitter is energized, and wherein the emitted heat energy is received and dissipated, at least in part, by the second cavity.

4. A signaling assembly comprising:

a semitransparent mirror having a region through which electromagnetic radiation may pass, and wherein the semitransparent mirror has forward and rearward facing surfaces;

a substantially opaque masking layer borne by the rearward facing surface of the semitransparent mirror and which defines, at least in part, the regions through which the electromagnetic radiation may pass;

a reflector housing defining first and second cavities and which is disposed in rested receipt thereagainst the rearward facing surface of the semitransparent mirror, and which further defines a first aperture which communicates with the first cavity, and wherein the first cavity is a reflector cavity which reflects the substantially laterally emitted electromagnetic radiation in a fashion so as to orient a preponderance of the electromagnetic radiation in a direction so that the preponderance of the electromagnetic radiation may pass through the region of the semitransparent mirror which passes electromagnetic radiation, and wherein the reflector cavity is defined by a plurality of reflector facets, and wherein the opaque masking layer is disposed in partially covering relation relative to the first aperture,

a light emitting diode positioned, at least in part, within the first and second cavities and which rests in direct physical contact thereagainst the masking layer, and wherein the light emitting diode emits, when energized, electromagnetic radiation which travels substantially laterally, outwardly relative to same, and wherein the substantially laterally emitted electromagnetic radiation is reflected by the portion of the reflector housing defining the first cavity and travels through the first aperture so as to pass through the semitransparent mirror and form a visibly discernable; and

a circuit board received within the second cavity, and wherein the reflector housing further defines a second aperture which permits communication therebetween the reflector cavity and the second cavity, and wherein the circuit board electrically mounts the light emitting diode, and wherein the light emitting diode substantially occludes the second aperture and is positioned, at least in part, within the reflector cavity.

5. The signaling assembly of claim 4 wherein the light emitting diode includes a heat sink which is positioned, at least in part, within the second cavity.

6. The signaling assembly of claim 5, wherein the semitransparent mirror is selected from the group comprising substantially neutrally chromatic mirrors;

dichroic mirrors and/or electrochromic mirrors.

7. A signaling assembly comprising:

a semitransparent mirror having forward and rearward facing surfaces;

a substantially opaque masking layer borne by the rearward facing surface of the semitransparent mirror, and which defines, at least in part, a region through which electromagnetic radiation may pass therethrough the semitransparent mirror;

a reflector housing having a reflector cavity which is defined by a plurality of reflector facets, and wherein the reflector housing defines a first aperture which communicates with the reflector cavity, and wherein the substantially opaque masking layer is disposed, at least in part, in covering relation relative to the first aperture, and wherein the reflector housing is positioned in rested receipt thereagainst the rearward facing surface of the semitransparent mirror, and further has a second cavity which communicates with the reflector cavity;

a circuit board having forward and rearward facing surfaces, and which has an aperture formed therein and wherein the circuit board is mounted within the second cavity; and

a light emitting diode which is electrically mounted to the rearward facing surface of the circuit board and which extends, at least in part, through the aperture defined by the circuit board and into the reflector cavity, and wherein the light emitting diode further rests in direct physical contact thereagainst the masking layer, and wherein the light emitting diode, when energized, emits electromagnetic radiation which travels substantially laterally, outwardly relative to the light emitting diode and is then reflected by the reflector facets such that it may pass through the region of the semitransparent mirror which passes electromagnetic radiation.

8. The signaling assembly of claim 7, wherein the light emitting diode includes a base portion which is formed, at least in part, of a heat sink and a light emitting portion, and wherein the reflector cavity has a depth dimension which is just greater than the length dimension of the light emitting portion.

9. The signaling assembly of claim 8, wherein the base portion is received in the second cavity.

10. A signaling assembly comprising:

a semitransparent mirror having forward and rearward facing surfaces;

a substantially opaque masking layer adhered to the rearward facing surface of the semitransparent mirror, and which defines, at least in part, a region through which visible electromagnetic radiation may pass;

a reflector housing having a reflector cavity which is defined by a plurality of reflector facets, and wherein the reflector housing defines an aperture through which visible electromagnetic radiation may pass, and wherein the aperture is larger than the region of the semitransparent mirror through which visible electromagnetic radiation may pass, and wherein the substantially opaque masking layer is disposed, at least in part, in covering relation relative to aperture so as to partially occlude the aperture and substantially inhibit the passage of at least some visible electromagnetic radiation therethrough;

a side emitting light emitting diode which extends, at least in part into the reflector cavity, and wherein the side emitting light emitting diode includes an integral reflector portion that rests in direct physical contact thereagainst the opaque masking layer which is disposed in partially covering relation relative to the aperture which is defined by reflector housing, and wherein the side emitting light emitting diode, when energized, emits visible electromagnetic radiation which travel substantially laterally, outwardly relative to the side emitting light emitting diode, and is then reflected by the reflector facets such that the emitted visible electromagnetic radiation may pass through the region of the semitransparent mirror which passes the visible electromagnetic radiation, and wherein the integral reflector portion of the side emitting light emitting diode, and the opaque masking layer which is oriented in partial covering relation relative to the aperture defined by the reflector housing, in combination, substantially impede the emitted visible electromagnetic radiation from passing through that portion of the semitransparent mirror covered by the opaque masking layer and which is contact with the side emitting light emitting diode.