Light emitting assembly

• US 7,524,097 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2003
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Roberts, John K., Turnbull, Robert R., Knapp, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember; Thomas M
• Application Number:
  US10/372,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20030156425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,255 Days
• Field of Search: 362/230, 362/231, 362/293, 362/545, 362/267, 362/310, 313/510, 313/512
• US Class Current: 362/545
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/14 to electric lighting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/20 using propulsion power generated by humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 45/00 Arrangements or adaptations of signalling or lighting devices arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; life-buoys, -belts, -jackets, -suits or the like, characterised by signalling means B63C9/20; lighting devices or systems therefor F21L, F21S
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/00 Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps reversing lights F21S43/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/141 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/143 the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/151 arranged in one or more lines
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/25 Projection lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/28 Cover glass
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/285 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S41/24-F21S41/28
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/321 the reflector being a surface of revolution or a planar surface, e.g. truncated
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/322 the reflector using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/235 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/008 : Combination of two or more successive refractors along an optical axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/02 : of prismatic shape F21V5/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/20 : Dichroic filters, i.e. devices operating on the principle of wave interference to pass specific ranges of wavelengths while cancelling others
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2102/40 : the light being emitted to facilitate access to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2103/50 : Registration plate lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2107/13 : for cycles
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2107/20 : for water vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2107/30 : for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 : comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 : Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 : Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 : connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 : the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/13 : the devices being of a type provided for in group H01L33/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 : Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1305 : Bipolar Junction Transistor [BJT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 : Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 : Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 : Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 : Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/24 : using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/46 : having LEDs disposed in parallel lines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 : Light emitting diode

Abstract

A light emitting assembly having a first light source and a second light source. The first and second light sources are oriented such that when the first and second light sources emit light, light emitted from the first and second light sources overlaps and is capable of forming white light. The light emitted from the first light source exhibits color coordinates different from the light emitted from the second light source. Also disclosed is a license plate illuminator having an LED device capable of emitting white light.

Claims

1. A light emitting assembly for use in a vehicle comprising:

a multichip white-light-emitting discrete LED device comprising;

a leadframe;

first and second LED chips mounted on said leadframe oriented such that when said first and second LED chips emit light, light emitted from said first and second LED chips overlaps and is capable of forming white light, the light emitted from each of said first and second LED chips having a peak wavelength below 635 nm, wherein the light emitted from said first LED chip exhibits color coordinates different from the light emitted from said second LED chip;

a polymer encapsulant for encapsulating said first and second LED chips, wherein each of said first and second LED chips emit illumination through said encapsulant; and

a control circuit electrically coupled to said first and second LED chips to enable the intensity of the illumination projected from at least one of said first and second LED chips to be adjusted independently of another of said first and second LED chips.

2. The light emitting assembly of claim 1, wherein said first LED chip emits blue light.

3. The light emitting assembly of claim 1, wherein said first LED chip emits visible light.

4. The light emitting assembly of claim 1, wherein said control circuit supplies energizing current to said first and second LED chips, wherein said control circuit is temperature-sensitive, such that energizing current supplied to said LED chips changes as a function of temperature.

5. The light emitting assembly of claim 1, wherein said control circuit independently adjusts the intensity of the light emitted from said first and second LED chips to thereby change the perceived color of illumination resulting from the overlapping light projected from said first and second LED chips, wherein such a change in perceived color may be a change to color coordinates corresponding to the color coordinates of the light emitted from one of the first and second LED chips.

6. A light emitting assembly for use in a vehicle comprising:

a multichip white-light-emitting discrete LED device comprising;

a leadframe;

first and second LED chips mounted on said leadframe oriented such that when said first and second LED chips emit light, light emitted from said first and second LED chips overlaps and is capable of forming white light, the light emitted from each of said first and second LED chips having a peak wavelength below 635 nm, wherein the light emitted from said first LED chip exhibits color coordinates different from the light emitted from said second LED chip; and

a polymer encapsulant for encapsulating said first and second LED chips, wherein each of said first and second LED chips emit illumination through said encapsulant, wherein said polymer encapsulant includes an integral lens; and

a control circuit electrically coupled to said first and second LED chips to enable the intensity of the illumination projected from at least one of said first and second LED chips to be adjusted independently of another of said first and second LED chips.